Fast Forward, Young People and Lockdown

It was way back in March that the UK Government first announced a series of measures to restrict the spread of Covid-19 and protect vulnerable people. The subsequent lockdown, with its instructions to stay at home, avoid social contact and work from home, has transformed all our lives.

The changes have been hard for young people, and now they are going back to school.   They’ve missed nearly four months of school and spent summer indoors. They couldn’t see their friends, go out, play sport, dance, romance or party, with many worried about exam results.

Meanwhile businesses have closed and jobs have been lost. Sadly, young people are more likely to be in the kind of insecure, part-time or temporary work that couldn’t be furloughed or carried out from home.

Depression and anxiety among young people were already serious issues. But social isolation, talk of recession, images of ambulances and respirators, and reliance on social media have intensified these feelings. Many young people are especially worried about what life will be like after lockdown. What will the world look like? And what will be their place in it?

Fast Forward and the Scottish youth work sector are determined to help and support all young people through this. Recently the Scottish Youth Parliament, Young Scot and Youth Link collaborated to produce Lockdown Lowdown, a fascinating survey on the thoughts of young people during Covid-19.

The Lowdown survey found that young people are worried. They expressed deep concerns about their exams and coursework, as well as their employment and finances. With rising rents, stagnating wages, increasing debt and disconnect with the older ‘boomer’ generation, Covid-19 creates a kind of ‘perfect storm’. In addition, a distinct ‘digital divide’ has opened up between the young people able to access online resources, and those living experiencing digital poverty.  No wonder almost half the young people asked said they had mental health concerns.

But this generation is special. It’s amazingly active and unselfish.

The survey found that young people are more concerned about the physical and mental wellbeing of others than themselves. It found they were just as concerned about their family, and their ability to care for others, as their own wellbeing. This chimes with this generation’s determination to tackle climate change, economic inequality and racial injustice. The survey also found that young people have been more respectful and supportive of the restrictions and the science behind them than many adults.

Young people said that, while the information coming from the Scottish Government regarding restrictions has been clear, they’re still uncertain about where to get help with their finances and mental health. In partnership with Young Scot and the College Development Network, Fast Forward has developed a money advice service Money & Me.

Fast Forward is determined to respond to these findings and work with young people to make the future better. We’ll shortly be undertaking a unique independent audit of all our learning from lockdown to properly record what we’ve gleaned from the experience.

We continue to work with young people digitally. We’re investing in a range of new technologies and applications that will allow us to reach young people wherever they’re at, in ways they choose.

Our sessions are shorter and more informal, with a new emphasis on emotional wellbeing and coping. Our work addresses many of the risks during lockdown, such as online gambling, gaming addictions or binge drinking.

We continue to integrate mental and emotional wellbeing into all aspects of our work and we understand that issues tend to cluster, with mental wellbeing often at the very centre. Recently Fast Forward delivered ‘Rebel Roots’, an innovative inter-generational project that helped the generations understand each other better and we’re rethinking our services with the help of Children in Scotland to ensure that children’s rights are at the centre of all of our services, as Scotland incorporates UNCRC into Scots law.

Perhaps most importantly, we recognise that we can’t go back, even if we wanted to. Young people have said they want a better world – one that tackles inequalities, leads to secure, well-paid jobs and addresses climate change.

Fast Forward is very proud to be involved in delivering and supporting youth work across Scotland to enable that.

Chris Read, Business Support Officer