A study examined the vocational guidance needs of young drifters and homeless people in the Netherlands. Available literature on the following topics was reviewed: accessibility and scope of guidance services in the Netherlands, characteristics and guidance needs of young drifters in the Netherlands, and the European dimension in vocational guidance. It was concluded that educational and vocational guidance has only a limited effect because of inadequate understanding of how the process of choice operates in young people. It was further concluded that more systematic research is needed to determine how young people use information and how they approach the labor market. Quantitative studies examining the following topics areas were deemed especially necessary: the information and vocational guidance needs of youths between the ages of 12 and 16 years; the relationship between the socioeconomic background and future prospects (especially study and career options) of young people in the Netherlands; and the actors influencing the vocational and educational choices of young people. (The bibliography lists 13 references. Excerpts from two related newspaper articles are appended.) (MN)