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HELPING OUR YOUNG people through this PANDEMIC

COVID has been disproportionally difficult for young people. Jade Saffer offers some insight into how we can help…

LAST year and this, our world has been hit by a global pandemic that left devastation in its wake. We are trying to adjust to the new ways of living in order to eradicate the virus, whilst dealing with the fear of ourselves and others contracting it. It is having a profound effect it is having on the next generation of adults. The uncertainty we all feel about our health, education, jobs, finances and future is impossible to ignore. However, we must keep our strength and resolve for our young people as they have us to lean on for guidance and support getting through this pandemic. Firstly, it is helpful for us to understand how our young people have been affected by the pandemic and lockdown. Mental health, morale and finding a job are amongst the most severely affected issues young people are suffering with as a result of the virus. It started in March, where lockdown was enforced; Schools, colleges and universities were closed and education felt stunted. Our freedom was taken away from us and families were made to live in one space, others were left to live alone. Whether being in constant close proximity to your family for days, weeks at a time or being confined to a lonely space on your own – one thing was for sure; we all suffered at one point.

Then exam season hit and students were told their grades would be based on prediction and past work. This shook all young people to the core, an outcry of protest ensued and changes were therefore made to make it fairer for students. This left young people in education feeling cheated and concerned for their future. The benefits of school, social life and a sense of structure and purpose was noticeably missed in their every-day lives. Morale was at an all-time low for everyone despite all the efforts to connect online and at a social distance.

As summer started to wind down and it looked like our world was slowly getting back to normal, restrictions were eased and people attempted to rebuild their lives, the cold hard fact remained – this world pandemic had taken such a toll on our economy and both adults and young people alike were left unemployed, made redundant or fruitlessly and endlessly searching for jobs. Again, this affected everyone, but for young people trying to make their mark in the world, this disruption left them feeling hopeless and helpless.

The undercurrent of human resilience throughout this pandemic has subtly increased and it feels like a shift in thinking has started to occur

Social lives seemed to be on the mend and schemes like ‘Eat out to Help Out’ helped bring us back together and reshape our economy – only for the dreaded ‘second wave’ to flood over us as quickly as it first hit. It felt like a kick in the teeth, not only were people dying, but morale was low, careers halted and finances diminished. Loved ones were being lost to something that took us all by surprise, knocking the wind out our sails. This second lockdown seemed to have undone all the effort people made to get back to some sort of normal. Something positive had occurred in the midst of all the chaos however; despite all this loss. People had realised their true, raw resilience and strength to get up and carry on. The undercurrent of human resilience throughout this pandemic has subtly increased and it feels like a shift in thinking has started to occur. External things like status and wealth seemed of little importance when confined to the walls of your home. Family networks and good health became the focus of all our attention. It did not matter what car we owned or how many Instagram followers we had; what mattered was who we turned to when we felt lost or low – that became our new currency of wealth and success. These life lessons of what truly matters was forced upon us, possibly an unconscious shift that undoubtedly needed to happen in today’s world. These lessons however can help shape the next generation and continue this shift in a positive direction to shape a better world.

Once we were given an opportunity to look up from our screens we noticed that there was an abundance of love that we could give and receive. We started to wave to strangers on our single hour of exercise each day, we initiated conversation with the lady at the till as that was possibly the only interaction we had. We considered the feelings of the vulnerable and elderly in ways that we never stopped to consider before. There was a whole world out there that we did not take the time to notice because of the fast-paced rat race we were a part of, whatever age we are.

There has been a great deal of pain caused by this pandemic, but equally there has been so many opportunities to grow, especially for young people. For the majority, it has been one relentless knock back after another, some sadly hitting their rock bottom. So much can be gained from difficult times. We learn that things are only temporary and that for what seems impossible to get through at the time – we can get through it. Spending time with the people we love and taking the time to look after ourselves mentally and physically is of the upmost importance. Leaving time for things like learning to play an instrument or how to make the perfect banana bread should be part of life with or without a pandemic. All these lessons are so pivotal for our young people to learn.

The question of how we can help our young people through this pandemic seems clear; give support and guidance in moving on to the next stage of their lives whatever that point may be. Encourage playfulness and fun whenever possible. Help keep a sense of community or connection through whatever medium. Reinforce what is important in life and celebrate the freedom we are gifted with every day. Cultivate an ‘attitude of gratitude’ in your household, appreciate the small things that we forget to notice in the hustle and bustle of busy life. These things can all help our young people to flourish once again and thrive in their futures hopefully with less of a feeling of stress and anxiety that is currently so prevalent in today’s world. n

iJADE SAFFER is a Holistic Teen Coach, providing individual mentoring and therapy for young people aged 11-25. She also offers parental support and facilitates workshops in schools. Her vision is to provide each young person she works with a desire for personal and professional excellence through education, communication and therapy. Jade can be contacted via her website www.theholisticteencoach.com or call 07596 822957.