Checking in:

Voices of young
people during
lockdown
October 2020
Contents
Foreword 4

Introduction 6

Key learnings 9

Recommendations 11

Insights 13

Health anxiety
Daily routine
Education, employment and community
Mental wellbeing
Self-reflection
Feelings of injustice
Black Lives Matter

Additional activity 30

Closing remarks 32

References 33

2
 moderately constructive repetitive
deceiving timeless never-ending
claustrophobic
insightful concerning

draining lonely testing

irritating

boring
uncomfortable on edge
frustration concerned long-needed rest
compliant
up and down peaceful
uncertainty closer to family
adaptation trapped
annoying confusing boredom stay at home
relaxation chill
cooped up busy
unusual relaxing tough
weird era
challenging good
pretty fun
standard existential crisis
exhausting interesting informative
caged
rollercoaster reflective
a big relief from everyday stress
comfortable

The word cloud shows responses to the statement Sum up your lockdown experience in one
or two words (late May 2020). The more frequent the response, the larger the font.
Foreword
“When will life get back to normal?”, asked one young person who took part in our youth listening project during
the COVID-19 lockdown. Although many young people are now back at school, college, university and work, there
are still significant concerns about their mental health and wellbeing. Indeed, the current media narrative that
blames them for the recent rise in coronavirus cases is further damaging their self-esteem.

With this in mind, our ‘Checking in: Voices of young people during lockdown’ project has even greater resonance
and we recommend that the findings are used to help shape mental health support in the UK as the COVID-19
pandemic continues.

A time for self-reflection

When the pause button was pressed on ‘normal’ life in early Spring, it was a confusing and frightening time for
young people. They saw their education disrupted (in some cases, practically stopped), job prospects curtailed,
social lives shrunk and health anxieties heightened. Once a fortnight between March and July, we checked
in with a group of young Londoners (aged 14 to 24), the majority of whom are members of our Digital Health
Ambassadors programme, to find out how they were coping.

Our online questionnaires were designed using insights from psychological therapies so that we could connect
young people with their feelings about current issues then stimulate them to consider what might help them to
deal with those issues. We gave our respondents the opportunity to think and reflect at a time when many were
overwhelmed and anxious and to share their concerns so we could support them. Of course, safeguards were in
place should anyone communicate a need for urgent support.

Checking in on young people usually happens in classrooms, during counselling sessions or even in the middle
of a game of football. It is a powerful therapeutic and support tool – a reminder (How am I?), a nudge (What
do I need?) and a safety net (Who can help me?). With educational establishments closed and many youth and
mental health services on hold during lockdown, could our listening project help to fill a gap by boosting mental
wellbeing and building resilience? And, crucially, could it be replicated on a larger scale in the challenging times
ahead?

A focus and a purpose

As this report and our interim report (May 2020)1 reveal, our respondents were articulate, brave and often
brutally honest. On some days, they felt anxious, sad and angry; at other times, they were relaxed, excited and
hopeful about the future. Perhaps most striking was how intensely alert they were to the risk they might pose to
others. Many of them barely left their homes at the height of lockdown and some admitted to feelings of guilt and
shame if they did try to lead a ‘normal’ life.

We soon discovered that our fortnightly check-ins became something more: a much-needed focus and a
reminder that someone was taking the time to listen. Our respondents told us that the process of completing the
questionnaires gave them a purpose – their comments included "I’ve never been asked for my opinion” and “I feel
heard”. One asked, quite rightly, what we (the project partners) plan to do with the survey results. We hope this
report and our recommendations go some way to answering that.

4
Looking back, many of us would find it hard to recall exactly how we felt during the height of the first wave of the
pandemic. Human beings are incredibly adaptable – we have already managed to normalise social distancing and
face coverings, for example – but that does not mean we have not been affected by all the changes to our lives
in 2020. The quotes in this report are a stark reminder of the strength of emotions at play and that we must not
underestimate the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on young people’s mental health.

What became clear during the course of this project is that young people must have a voice, especially in difficult
times. As we head into winter and face more perilous moments in the fight against COVID-19, we should continue
to focus on their lived experience and provide a listening ear that helps young people to feel less alone.

We believe that our innovative research approach could be rolled out more broadly and support even more young
people as they live through this global pandemic. Checking in is more important than ever.

Sharon Long Troy Norbert Tracy Parr Dr Richard Graham

Partnership for Young Partnership for Young Good Thinking Good Thinking
London London

Partnership for Young London  Good Thinking

Partnership for Young London is a registered charity Good Thinking is London’s digital mental wellbeing
that works for a future where every young person’s service, jointly developed by London’s Directors of
right to wellbeing is recognised and fulfilled. It Public Health and the NHS and supported by the
provides a cross-sector platform, drawing together Greater London Authority and London Councils. It is
public and private organisations, as well as the delivered by Healthy London Partnership. Since its
voluntary sector, social enterprises, and local, launch in November 2017, it has been accessed by
regional and national government, as partners in the over 400,000 Londoners and had over half a million
same vision. visits to its website.

Partnership for Young London’s Digital Health Good Thinking provides a range of digital wellbeing
Ambassadors programme is funded by Healthy support for the four most common mental health
London Partnership (which also delivers London’s conditions – anxiety, stress, low mood and poor sleep
digital mental wellbeing service, Good Thinking). – including NHS-approved apps, information sheets,
The programme seeks to empower and support self-assessment and signposting to other services.
a core group of young Londoners by creating The service has responded to COVID-19 by providing
opportunities for them to shape digital products, specific support, advice and personal stories for
campaigns and content for young people and actively Londoners.
promote digital health and wellbeing initiatives
amongst their peers, whilst bringing together partner www.good-thinking.uk
organisations and developing an evidence base for
future initiatives. Many of those who put themselves
forward for the programme were involved in existing
youth advocacy and outreach initiatives or were
accessing youth services. Around 95% of the Digital
Health Ambassadors cohort live in London and they
represent 24 of the 32 London boroughs.

www.partnershipforyounglondon.org.uk

5
Introduction
The challenge
Although the current scientific evidence shows that coronavirus (COVID-19) presents a much lower health risk
to children and teenagers than to older adults, the knock-on effects of the pandemic and lockdown on young
people are significant.

Recent surveys by Barnardo’s2, Kooth3, University College London4, Wellcome5 and YoungMinds6 show that young
people have experienced anxiety, stress, sleep problems, loneliness, eating disorders, self-harm and other mental
health concerns due to COVID-19. Furthermore, the Institute for Fiscal Studies7 has warned that school closures
are likely to increase education inequalities and The Resolution Foundation8 estimates that an additional 640,000
18 to 24-year-olds could face unemployment in 2020.

Many experts believe a mental health crisis lies ahead. As 100 specialists in psychology, mental health and
neuroscience noted recently, “When many of this cohort enter adulthood, we will be deep in recession, so
they will need mental resilience and educational preparedness. Instead we are damaging both, with lifelong
consequences for them and society9.”

In our May 2020 report, we stated that the need to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people
has rarely felt more urgent. And yet, many youth, community and health organisations may have to reduce the
services they provide in the COVID era – a UK Youth survey10 found that 88% of youth organisations are likely or
very likely to do so – or may simply be overwhelmed by demand.

If young people are going to find it harder to get face-to-face support – from teachers, GPs, youth workers,
counsellors or therapists – we need to find new ways to help them. Could a larger scale youth listening project or
digital outreach programme be a viable option?

Project timeline

6
 Our approach

‘Checking in: Voices of young people during lockdown’ began with a simple premise – how are young people
coping with COVID-19?. It developed into an in-depth online listening project run by Partnership for Young
London and Good Thinking, with the support of TikTok. Our guiding principles were that the project should be
youth-focused, safe, collaborative, asset based and responsive and that it should help to boost participants’
mental wellbeing.

With many quantitative studies about the impact of coronavirus on young people already available, we chose a
different methodology – one that had real voices at its heart. Developed by the Partnership for Young London
team and Good Thinking’s Dr Richard Graham, a consultant psychiatrist specialising in child development and
digital wellbeing, the questionnaires followed the ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) model11, which
encourages mindful, guided self-reflection. We asked questions about live issues to gauge their impact on young
people’s lives in near real time.

Every fortnight between 26 March and 6 July, a group of 14 to 24-year-olds completed an online questionnaire.
The majority of respondents are part of the Digital Health Ambassadors programme set up by Healthy London
Partnership/Good Thinking and Partnership for Young London in 2019.

Each survey was sent to the same group of young people and each member of the group could decide whether
to take part that week. Respondents were not paid but they were entered into a prize draw to win a £50 Amazon
voucher. They were also given the opportunity to co-create a celebration event that will be hosted by TikTok to
mark the end of the project.

85 young people completed our first questionnaire in late March and a smaller cohort (between 33 and 70
respondents) took part in our seven other surveys. In May 2020, we published insights and key learnings from
surveys 1-4. This final report covers surveys 5-8, which were conducted on 25 May, 8 June, 22 June and 6 July
and saw between 34 and 45 young people participate each time.

As London-based organisations and with nearly all the survey respondents living in London, we were able to get
a snapshot of young Londoners’ experiences of the COVID-19 lockdown. The majority of our survey participants
are from BAME groups and our cohort also included young people with disabilities and young care leavers. In
surveys 5-8, female respondents made up the majority of the group.

We recognise that our respondents might not accurately reflect the diversity of young people across the UK and
we do not claim this is a rigorous scientific study.

7
“I'm more conscious
of my emotions and
physical condition.”
Key learnings
1. ‘Checking in’ is a powerful support tool

What started in March as a simple three-question survey to find out how young people were coping during the
COVID-19 lockdown became much more: a mental health lifeline that gave support during a period of repeated
and unprecedented stresses.

As the fortnightly surveys were created in the moment – and sought to address the issues of that moment – they
became increasingly relatable and meaningful for our respondents. Blending this real-time approach with insights
from psychological therapies (the ACT model) made the surveys similar to the homework that therapists give to
their clients.

This wasn’t just checking in to listen – it became something that helped to boost wellbeing and increase
resilience. And it led to other activities, such as blogs, videos, meeting with policymakers and a TikTok challenge,
that further enabled the young people’s voices to be heard.

2. The COVID-19 threat was deadly serious

At the beginning of this project (March 2020), young people were experiencing multiple, cumulative stresses.
They were upset about the number of deaths from COVID-19 and the impact of the virus and lockdown on
their families and wider communities, especially in BAME groups. Over time, this meant many pursued safety
behaviours beyond what was officially recommended, with some rarely going outside.

Our respondents’ fear of getting coronavirus and giving it to others – as well as the fear of other people not
complying with official guidelines – was substantial. When lockdown was eased, some continued to feel anxious
and wanted strict enforcement of guidelines.

Not leaving their homes was a problem beyond mere

anxiety – many of our respondents felt guilt and shame
about returning to a more normal life as they perceived
themselves as a risk to others and viewed ‘normality’ as a
luxury. The survey responses implied that young people
were inhabiting a world of invisible enemies. Although they
did not use this now commonly heard phrase, it appeared
they did not want to become ‘super spreaders’.

The impact of this on their self-image, their self-esteem

and their coping skills is clear. COVID-19 goes beyond
physical symptoms and our respondents understood the
importance of taking care of their mental wellbeing as well
as their physical health. Unfortunately, the virus and the
lockdown have amplified existing mental health challenges
and, in some cases, this has the potential to sew the seeds
for depression and perhaps even post-traumatic stress.
This requires urgent consideration.

9
 3. Unhealthy habits took hold
Disruption of normal daily routines, difficulty sleeping and feelings of helplessness made it hard for many young
people in our study to stick to healthy habits during lockdown. Many recognised that their lack of activity and
exercise was a major issue, along with poor sleeping habits.

The next phase of COVID-19 could further reinforce unhealthy habits. Maintaining purposeful activities,
especially education, could help young people to stay mentally healthy. Those who did leave their homes during
lockdown (e.g. for exercise) felt more confident and less anxious so this should be encouraged.

Although most of our respondents felt they were resilient enough to cope with a second wave or further
lockdowns, some said they were planning to increase their safety behaviours (e.g. hand washing). Support must
be provided to ensure these behaviours do not become obsessive.

4. Confusion, anger and bitterness grew

Despite the message that “We’re all in this together”, the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on BAME
communities and on the mental health of young people heightened their experience of injustice and inequalities
during lockdown.

Many of our respondents were shocked and upset by the killing of George Floyd in May. The breaking of
lockdown regulations also angered a large number of survey participants, especially the feeling that there was
one rule for them and a different rule for other people.

During lockdown, young people had more time to reflect on their values and consider what matters to them.
Incidents of privilege and inequality burned through their consciousness, creating fertile ground for a type of
psychological distress known as ‘moral injury’.

The bitterness that arises from moral injury can be a powerful obstacle to processing difficult experiences and
make it more difficult to see a way forward. Without opportunities to be part of the discussion and to learn of
restorative plans, further challenges to our social and cultural cohesion could incubate inside a generation.

5. Young people must not be ignored

Our respondents have shown enormous resilience and compassion for others but they – and other teenagers and
young adults – will need both practical and emotional support to get through the next few months. They might
no longer feel so “cooped up” but they still do not have the freedom or the opportunities they once had.

As we move out of the COVID-19 emergency response and towards recovery, young people must be involved
in local and national discussions about mental wellbeing. They were largely left out of the coronavirus debate
during lockdown (under-18s were not allowed to ask questions at the daily press briefings, for example12) and it is
time to change that.

In the words of one of our survey respondents, “I think they [the government] definitely need to remember the
young people because young people are so important.”

10
Recommendations
The ‘Checking in’ project team hopes that this final report and our interim report (May 2020) not only inform
individual interventions but also help to shape the wider delivery of mental health services as we head into the
next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe it is vital that young people’s voices are part of the urgent
conversations going on across the UK about how best to support and boost mental wellbeing in 2020 and
beyond.
We will:
Use the insights and learnings from this project to inform the mental health support offered to young people
by Partnership for Young London, Good Thinking, NHS organisations, local authority partners and TikTok so
that we can help even more teenagers and young adults to stay mentally healthy.

Make our findings available open source so that youth services, NGOs, policymakers and other organisations
that are developing mental wellbeing services for young people can benefit from this initiative.

Give our survey respondents the opportunity to attend an event hosted by TikTok where they will share their
recommendations, celebrate their achievements, gain new digital skills and get inspired.

On a broader level, we recommend that:

Official COVID-19 messaging should focus on the level of threat and the value of safety measures, such
as social distancing and face coverings, without encouraging excessive safety behaviours. It should
also prioritise empathy and the sense of collective effort to overcome a shared challenge and be simple,
consistent and without scope for interpretation.
Young people should be encouraged to take part in purposeful activities, such as education and work, as
well as activities that are good for their mental wellbeing, such as seeing friends and family and exercising.
They also need support when it comes to getting enough sleep and striking the right balance with safety
behaviours so they do not become obsessional thoughts.
A cross-sector coalition is set up to carry out an audit of how the COVID-19 pandemic has altered young
people’s education, career, financial and health prospects.
More research initiatives focus on ‘lived experience’ and ‘self-reflection’. This particular youth listening
project was on a small scale but others have been able to go bigger (e.g. the Collective Resilience and Covid
Living projects commissioned by Wellcome)13.
A space is created where research on the impact of COVID-19 on young people’s mental health can be
collated and used to influence future service design and delivery.
A comprehensive and fully funded, cross-departmental strategy is developed to support young people’s
mental health in the COVID era. This must address the full spectrum of mental health impacts – from the rise
in acute disorders (e.g. PTSD and self-harm) to the challenge of adjusting to a new normal, including going
outside more often.
Key partners (e.g. charities, mental health commissioners and policymakers) work together to identify how
we need to adapt the delivery of mental health and wellbeing services. This should include greater use of
digital to provide services immediately and at scale and greater involvement of young people in the design of
these services.

11
“...the survey gave me a
purpose each week.”
Insights
In this section, we discuss the key themes that emerged from the final phase of our youth listening project and
provide a selection of quotes from our respondents (exactly as they were written) to illuminate these themes.

Health anxiety

Defined by the NHS as “when you spend so much time worrying you’re ill, or about getting ill, that it starts to take
over your life”14, health anxiety has understandably been triggered by the COVID-19 outbreak and the 24/7 news
cycle. Indeed, studies of past epidemics and pandemics, such as Ebola and SARS, have shown an increase in
anxiety, health worries and safety behaviour15.

In late May and again in early July, we asked our survey respondents What are the most worrying issues for
you today? More than a quarter said “physical health” – a high percentage for young people who are likely to be
at their physical peak and a clear sign that we are living in unusual times.

One of the sub-themes related to health anxiety that emerged in the first phase of this project (surveys 1-4)
was that many respondents were worried about going outside and felt safest at home. As the illustration below
shows, this was also the case in surveys 5-8. Feeling unsafe, confusion about what it was safe to do and the
conduct of others with respect to official guidance influenced many respondents’ behaviour. In fact, their ongoing
experience of threat from COVID-19 saw them imposing even greater restrictions on themselves than the
government did.
How often do you go outside?

In late May 2020, around two fifths of respondents said they were still only going outside once a week or less.
We investigated this further by asking If you'd like to go outside more often, what would help you do that?
COVID-19 rules being relaxed and life returning to normal were popular responses and the longing to see friends
and family and take part in sport and other activities was also evident. There was a clear sense that social
support would help make the journey out of lockdown easier, with comments including:

"Going to school again"

"Easing lockdown regulations"

"Meeting up with friends or going to events"

13
 "Basketball courts to reopen"

"A good friend that encourages me to go outside at the right time."

Whilst there appeared to be a shift towards feeling more at ease about going outside in late May than in the
previous surveys (1-4), the perceived threat of COVID-19 and of other people not following official guidelines still
seemed to outweigh some respondents’ desire to leave their homes. The responses included:

"Confidence that there is no imminent danger to my family's health"

"More people following the instructions the government has given to keep a two meter distance."

"Other people respecting the fact that easing the lockdown doesn't mean that lockdown is over yet"

"Lower or no death rates due to covid 19"

"A mask and for people to better observe social distancing"

In our sixth survey in early June, we asked If there is a second wave of coronavirus and lockdown, have you
thought about what you could do differently/what you would do? Around a third of respondents said they
would exercise more or try to develop new skills and around a third said they would maintain or intensify safety
behaviours. For example:

"I’d like to perhaps achieve some skills or work on myself if we went back into lockdown. I feel like I’ve
wasted these past 11 weeks because I haven’t tried to do anything"

"Wash my hands for a minute instead of 20seconds"

"other than be more annoyed, I wouldn't do anything differently, because I have been following social
distancing guidelines and barely going out. If there is a second wave of coronavirus it would be the
fault of the government who have one rule for one group and another rule for others."

"Keep more in touch with family and friends"

"I would focus on my fitness and plan my days around this"

By early July, the number of respondents going outside less than once a week had dropped significantly and
around two fifths were leaving the house every other day. But there were still concerns that lockdown was being
eased too quickly. With restaurants, hairdressers, museums and places of worship having recently reopened, we
asked How comfortable do you feel when going outside now? The responses included:

14
 "Okay as I have my mask and hand sanitizer. But it is worrying people don't take any precautions any
more"

"I definitely won't be going out to public places until the death tolls go under 10."

"Pretty relaxed"

"more comfortable than before but still a bit careful and wary because who knows if corona is completely
gone or even slowed down"

"It’s a bit scary the thought of being around lots of strangers and you don’t know if they have it or feel
unwell but are out anyway and the risk of catching is higher. However it wouldn’t be done unless it was
safe to do so..."

At this stage in early July, we also asked If you'd like to go outside more often, what would help you do that?
Many respondents commented that they wanted other people to follow the official rules more closely and some
acknowledged that there was a feeling of letting others down if they broke the rules. Being able to meet up with
friends and family and having more assurance that it was safe to go outside were also cited. For example:

"Fewer people being out and about as if nothing ever happened"

"tighter mask control and social distancing in stores"

"Knowing that I'm not putting anyone at risk.

There's a level of guilt and shame associated
with breaking quarantine rules..."

"More things to do such as sporting events"

"Being able to see my friends"

"better track and tracing"

When we asked the question Are you worried about

your physical health? in late June, the majority of
respondents said “no”. Some added that being able to
exercise was a key factor in determining how they felt
about their physical health. The responses included:

15
 "No I make sure to stay active"

"Yes because I should be doing more exercise"

"No. I have got unfit over the quarantine but I know I will gain the fitness back once I resume my sports"

Following the UK’s first local lockdown (Leicester), our survey in early July included the question What would
you do differently if your area was placed under a local lockdown? Overall, our respondents showed a high
level of resilience and willingness to adapt for others (perhaps more than for themselves). Most said they would
either repeat how they acted during the first lockdown or increase self-isolation measures and safety behaviours,
with comments including:

"I would go back to stay inside and only going outside when essential"

"Take more time off to sit with everything and process."

"I would plan my days so I am productive, I would go out into my garden more and keep fit, reduce my
screen time"

"Nothing, because I never eased my lockdown behaviour in the first place."

"Wear a mask everytime I go outside and keep a 2 Metre distance from people"

"i would completely avoid public transport"

Daily routine
During the COVID-19 lockdown, studies, work, friendships and hobbies were put on hold. Our normal daily
routines were no longer possible and unhealthy habits crept in – even our sleeping patterns changed. A survey
by King’s College London/Ipsos MORI16 revealed that almost two thirds of people in the UK say their sleep has
been worse than usual during the coronavirus pandemic.

With a strong connection between routines and mental health, we investigated how the young people coped with
the changes to their daily lives. In our May 2020 report (surveys 1-4), we noted that some respondents had found
the limitations on activities and the disruption to their normal routine challenging. Many had used technology to
help them feel closer to friends and family and their advice at that stage included “Try to do at least one thing
every day”, “Interact and call your friends” and “Have a sleeping routine”.

As we began the second phase of our youth listening project in late May, we asked What was your favourite
aspect of ‘normal’ life? prior to COVID-19. Friends and family, school, sport and going out were high on the list.
Rather poignantly, one respondent simply said “freedom”. The responses included:

16
 "Seeing my friends and family."

"Not being scared of catching a life threating virus while going to the shops."

"Going to events, meeting new people, getting support and routine."

"Seeing my boyfriend and having a hug"

"The ability to go anywhere whenever and for however long I wanted"

"Being at school and doing extracurricular activities."

"Going to clubs and pubs and being able to go out without feeling anxious and guilty"

When there was talk of the COVID-19 restrictions being relaxed in May, respondents began thinking about how
their day-to-day life might look going forward. In late May, we asked Do you feel you will need to change your
daily routine as lockdown eases? Around half of our respondents answered “yes”.

We then asked What do you think will help you establish a better routine? Unusually, around half of those who
took part in our late May survey did not answer this follow-up question. Re-establishing a better sleeping habit,
having more of a sense of purpose (e.g. through work, education or exercise) and increasing social contact were
prominent themes in the responses we did receive. For example:

"Making a to do list as it persuades you to be more productive. Talking to friends and family so you can
catch up."

"Sticking to an exercise routine and waking up early"

"Finding a new job"

"Speaking to someone and getting advice"

"Waking up earlier and doing some more school

work in preparation for the coming academic
year."

"Having more of a purpose and stuff to do"

17
In early June, we asked If there is a second wave of coronavirus and lockdown, have you thought about
what you could do differently/what you would do? Again, there was an obvious need for having a routine –
particularly one that includes being physically active. The responses included:

"Exercise more often and reduce my time being lazy"

"Yes, I could be much more productive."

"To ensure I am more connected to what rules have been put in place."

"Rest more. I've been working hard during this time."

"Stay active and positive"

Education, employment and community

Many experts believe that COVID-19 could have a long-term detrimental effect on young people’s education17 and
career18 opportunities.

With schools only open to vulnerable pupils and the children of key workers, colleges and universities closed
and many young people working from home, on furlough or out of work, we asked What are the most worrying
issues for you today? Many respondents said “education” and/or “employment”.

In late June, we specifically asked Are you worried about your education? The majority said they were worried,
with responses including:

"Yes. I feel that I'm not going to be ready for my exams."

"Yeah I’m concerned I won’t get the full experience of university. It’s going to be much harder to
socialise if universities cancel freshers week or stop similar events"

"No, I just have to get on with it"

"Yes, I’ve had to teach myself a lot."

"Worried about my gcse results and whether i will be able to redo while studying for a-levels"

Although many young people returned to full-time education in September, mental health concerns still remain
and the need for support could rise. The possibility of further national restrictions and local lockdowns that
could affect educational establishments, as well as potential changes to the exam process in 2020/21, mean that
students still face much uncertainty.

18
The same survey in late June revealed that around two thirds of respondents were unemployed (including some
who were in full-time education), around a fifth were working and around one in 10 were on furlough. When we
asked Are you concerned about your employment status?, most respondents said they were not worried
about it. For example:

"Even if I were to be laid off I'd know that it was purely economic, not based on my skills or lack of
productivity."

"No- working in education is stable"

"I am on a casual contract so I have always had to work another job to maintain bills. I am worried I will
not hear back from a job I was very close in getting before lockdown came."

"No because most of my work is online"

"Yes, I need a job but don’t want to risk myself with coronavirus"

With the employment situation still precarious as we head into winter, young people need both practical support
(e.g. training programmes and job retention schemes) and mental wellbeing support.

After months of lockdown, we also wanted to determine how COVID-19 had affected local communities – from
Hackney to Wandsworth, Enfield to Richmond – and what kind of support for young people the government
should prioritise.

In late June, most respondents answered “yes” to our question Has coronavirus impacted your local
community? Their comments revealed both the positive and negative impact of COVID-19, such as:

"Yes, there has been a fair number of cases in my area"

"I believe it has brought our community together as we are all helping each other as much as we can."

"Shops have permanently closed down. Friends have lost their jobs."

"it has made many people more unified"

The same survey (late June) took place after the footballer Marcus
Rashford’s successful campaign to get the government to supply free
school meals to disadvantaged children over the summer holidays.

We asked What do you want the UK government to prioritise

for young people during the summer? Many of our respondents
commented that education should be a focus and there were
suggestions to increase funding, run online summer schools and
ensure equal educational opportunities for all young people. The
comments included:

"Preparation into going back to schools - there will be lots of

anxieties from young people who have been off for months"

19
 "Access to more mental health services"

"Help us with our education and funding for families that are struggling"

"rebuilding our society for our future <3 eg. restructuring our economy & society to be fairer & use less
resources"

Mental wellbeing

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, experts have warned

of its negative impact on young people’s mental health and
wellbeing. Research by Kooth19 found that many young
people were unhappy and lonely during lockdown and, in
a YoungMinds20 survey, 80% of young people with mental
health needs said that coronavirus had made their mental
health worse. Our own surveys 1-4 highlighted some of the
mental health challenges facing our respondents, which
included boredom and uncertainty.

The aim of this project was not just to find out how young
people were functioning but to ask questions that might
help boost their mental wellbeing. In late May, we asked
What are the most worrying issues for you today?
Around two fifths of respondents said “mental health”.
Within six weeks, this had increased to more than half.

We should, of course, bear in mind that providing opportunities for self-reflection might result in heightened
awareness of mental wellbeing, particularly negative emotions. In the end, the process of ‘checking in’ every two
weeks appears to have had a positive impact on the young people who participated – perhaps because it helped
them to acknowledge how they were feeling and come up with strategies to move forward. It was good to note
the shift to a brighter mood in late June and early July.

At the beginning of every survey in this second phase of our project, we asked How are you feeling? As the
illustration below shows, respondents’ emotions fluctuated over time. There was a drop in “feeling okay” and
“feeling good” and a spike in “feeling challenged” at the beginning of June but, by July, the mood had picked up,
with around a quarter of respondents saying they were “feeling good”.

How are you feeling?

20
In each of surveys 5-8, we also asked Over the last two weeks, how do you feel you’re coping with isolation
and distancing? Again, there were some emotional ups and downs, with early June proving to be particularly
challenging but July showing an improvement in mood (see illustration below).
Over the last two weeks, how do you feel you’re coping with isolation and distancing?

In answer to the question How do you feel about lockdown easing? in late May and early June, almost half
of respondents said they felt “anxious” or “quite anxious” about it. In late June, we asked for more detailed
comments about this and found that there were more negative responses than positive ones. One word
responses included “cautious”, “happy”, “worried” and “relieved”. Longer responses included:

"Anxious. A part of me is happy over the thought that I get some part of my old life back (shopping,
hairdressers, pubs) but I'm concerned that we may be rushing back to normal too quickly."

"I think it’s bad since it might increase the spread of the corona virus which might lead to a second
lockdown"

"Joyous, thankful and excited to see friends again"

"Uneasy. The easing has been very unclear and it's very hard to follow the rules, as it’s not clear what
they actually are."

"Good, I think that the economy is starting to re open and I think it will have a good impact on mental
health as long as people stay safe and think about what they are doing"

"It is putting a lot of pressure for young people as they are scared to go outside their houses since they
had to fully isolate during this time and now it is a scary thought to even step outside."

As the ‘Health anxiety’ section of this report reveals, the fear of stepping outside was common amongst our
respondents. In early July, around a third were still only leaving their home once a week or less – evidence that
the perceived threat of COVID-19, especially in terms of feeling a heightened sense of being a risk to others
and worrying about how others may comply with guidance, remained a significant concern. Emerging from
psychological lockdown was clearly a challenge for many.

In late June, we asked Are you concerned about your mental health? There was a fairly even split between
those who said they were concerned and those who said they were not, with comments including:

"Mental health will always be a concern as it doesn't go away, we just learn to deal with it and work
around it, however, I know what I need to do to help myself and have a well-being officer from my
university, which is helping me a lot"

"Of course. It's a daily struggle to keep your emotions in check."

21
 "my mental health is much better during lockdown"

"No. I haven't let the pandemic or lockdown affect me in anyway.”

"Slightly but people have to remember it is okay to have good and bad days"

Some respondents were caring for other family members during lockdown, which might have added to the strain
on their mental health. When, in late June, we asked How have you found looking after your relatives or others
during lockdown?, the responses revealed both positive and negative effects. For example:

"very difficult as my brother gets very agitated and due to the pandemic carers cant come to look after him"

"I have found it pretty enjoyable"

"Very tough and time consuming"

"It's been better than I had imagined. Spending quality time with my mum has been rare in recent years
so I'm grateful for this period."

"mostly quite taxing but also an opportunity to test my own self-care techniques"

In late May and late June, we included the following question: Is there anything you'd like to ask us? It was
clear that there was anxiety about the future threat of COVID-19, with responses including:

"Will Coronavirus ever be truly eradicated?"

"When will life get back to normal"

"Does wearing a mask reduce the risk of spreading and contracting the virus?"

"Should we be concerned about lockdown easing too quickly?"

"How can we raise more awareness on the injustices that are systemic within UK policies in protecting
the health and rights of those within the BAME communities and how can we implement solutions for
true inclusion of all peoples within the UK?"

"When and how big will the next wave be?"

"Why is there no reinforced consequences for those who don't respect/follow Government and NHS
guidelines?"

“how do you aim to help young people’s mental health?"

22
 Self-reflection
As the things we took for granted were taken away over recent months, it is not surprising that many people
struggled with an identity crisis. Being able to look at yourself, reflect on how you are feeling and decide what
really matters is vital for good mental health. We therefore included a number of questions that really made our
respondents hold a mirror up to their lives.

For example, as we came to the end of this project in early July, we wanted to gauge whether COVID-19 had any
positive aspects. We asked Has lockdown helped you think about what is important to you? Around nine
in 10 said “yes”, with many noting that the time for self-reflection had helped them to prioritise their goals. The
responses included:

"Yes, I've realised that family and friends are the most important things"

"My mental and physical health for sure. I'm more conscious of my emotions and physical condition
more than ever."

"Yes, it has allowed me to be in my thoughts about

my next step in terms of education, work etc"

"Yes a lot – helped me get my priorities together"

"it has somewhat helped me focus on myself rather

than school/work"

"Yes because it has helped me reinvent myself and

find out what type of person I want to be"

We also asked the following question in the same survey: Has taking part in this survey been useful in terms
of helping you think through issues or feel supported? Again, around nine in 10 responded “yes” and it came
across clearly that this project has helped the young people who participated to feel less alone and less isolated.
The comments included:

"It’s been nice because as a young person living in London, I’ve never been asked for my opinion and I’m
often too “young” to have opinions"

"Yes because the survey gave me a purpose each week"

"it has been so useful, it has gave me a purpose and filled me with excitement to share my views."

"yes it has helped me clarify things that have been bothering me and also partly acted as a place where
I can project the things that have been concerning me, things that I don’t think I can tell my friends or
people close to me"

"Yes. I've loved doing these bi-weekly surveys, they have helped me to reflect on how I'm feeling which I
don't usually do."

23
 "Definitely been nice to think about things and get it out somewhere rather than keeping it inside even
though it’s virtually"

"yes, I feel heard and shows the importance of putting young people at the forefront of things."

"yes i had the chance to re evaluate my thoughts on the lockdown, how i’ve been coping and my
feelings"

"Definitely. It’s been interesting to reflect on how my attitude toward the situation changed, fortnight
by fortnight. Thanks for the opportunity."

Feelings of injustice
In recent months, there has been much talk of “We’re all in this together” and a collective responsibility for
keeping everyone safe from COVID-19. When this is not the case (e.g. when people break lockdown regulations),
anger, bitterness and resentment are a distinct possibility.

In late May, we showed a photograph of a packed Southend beach to the survey respondents and asked them
What word or words come to mind when you see this image? This evoked almost universal criticism, with
around nine in 10 respondents feeling angry or distressed by the sight of other people breaking lockdown
regulations. One word responses to this question included “stupidity”, “disgraceful”, “inconsiderate”, “idiots”,
“selfish”, “contagion” and “atrocious”. Longer responses included:

"Sad because a lot of people don't know whether they have or don't have coronavirus as many people
are asymptomatic."

"Relieved that I’m not there"

"Family, happy, freedom"

"Disappointed. We clap at 8pm every Thursday to thank the NHS but those claps mean nothing if we
don’t follow the social distancing measures"

"Shocking! No one is following lockdown regulations!!"

"Worried about everyone"

"Selfish, but also elitist, where are the pics of middle classes celebrating VE Day??"

"Frustrating, however the blame should be placed not on individuals but on the government who have
offered unclear advice"

24
Similar feelings were evoked when the young people who
took part in our survey considered Dominic Cummings’ trip to
County Durham. When the news broke in late May, we asked our
respondents How does this make you feel?
Whilst anger at the impact of his trip on other people was high,
so too was anger at the privilege enjoyed by those in positions
of power and the feeling that different rules apply to different
people – the latter was mentioned by more than a third of
respondents. A handful of respondents noted that he was doing
it for his family. One word responses to our survey included
“disappointed”, “confused”, “neutral”, “annoyed”, “hypocrite”,
“ashamed” and “sad”. Longer responses included:

"It makes me feel a bit stressed because if people keep on breaking the lockdown rules then we won't
be able to overcome this pandemic anytime soon."

"He was helping his family"

"it makes me feel annoyed as there is a double standard. A lot of people have not been able to see
dying relatives because of lock down rules but he's exempt?"

"it makes me feel sick & disillusioned with this government. there’s one rule for the elite and another
rule for the rest of us, it’s just unfair."

"I think he made the right decision as he did it for the welfare of his son"

"Definitely too rude to write in here, but actually I’m not surprised. Furious."

"Not surprised, many times our government often implements rules which they feel they don't have to
comply to..."

During their teenage years, young people typically develop crucial aspects of their identity and “a more complex
understanding of moral behavior and underlying principles of justice and caring for others”21. For some of our
respondents, the impact of seeing others break lockdown could leave a lasting imprint and make it harder to
process what has happened and move forward. In some cases, this could raise concerns about ‘moral injury’ – the
damage done to your conscience or moral compass when you perpetrate, witness or fail to prevent acts that
transgress your own moral beliefs, values or ethical codes of conduct22.

Black Lives Matter

Our sixth survey in early June was heavily influenced by the killing of George Floyd and the subsequent Black
Lives Matter protests. We were committed to creating timely and relatable surveys and these were important
matters to address. With Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities being disproportionately affected by
COVID-19 and the lockdown exacerbating many existing inequalities in society, feelings of injustice became even
more prominent at this time.

25
In the midst of a global pandemic, the impact of these events was complex – causing distress and anxiety
for many of our respondents but also giving hope that change might happen because injustices were being
acknowledged. When we asked How do you feel about the killing of George Floyd?, the responses included:

"disgusted, sick, angry"

"I'm so sickened by this, police brutality has been going on for centuries so it seems that I'm so numb
by this. I am so angry that it took social media to get his killers charged, its as if we are all doing the job
that should be done by the judicial system."

"I'm disgusted but sadly not surprised, this has been happening for years and as unfortunate as it was,
I'm glad it acted as a catalyst for change and shared outrage across the globe"

"So many emotions, heart-broken, outraged and more."

"numb. the senseless killing of innocent black people has been going on for longer than I’ve been alive,
and with social media it’s been pushed into the limelight more than ever..but it hardly surprised me. I
hate how desensitised I’ve become to it all."

"really upset and disgusted but now empowered and hopeful for change"

"I'm sad but I also was sad and angry about the other killings but nothing changed or there wasn't
a large reaction. It feels sort of bittersweet. I'm glad there's now attention not just from other Black
people but it's sad it took so many people to die to get to that point."

"I think it’s absolutely disgusting. It worries yet also scares me how people think it’s okay to treat
people differently, let alone kill, because of the colour of their skin"

In the same survey, around a third of our respondents said they were planning to join a peaceful protest that
week and the majority knew of someone who had or who was planning to take part in one. When asked what
encouraged them to protest, the most common response related to striving for change, followed by a desire to
demonstrate solidarity with other protesters. For example:

"Usually the message-however when you fighting for no more police brutality and the protest is brutal
to the police it defeats the object"

"Protests aren't the be all, end all for activism but it helps build momentum for the cause you're
campaigning for"

"I had signed petitions, donated, educated both myself and others (and am still in the process of doing
so). But that didn't feel like enough & I wanted to do everything I could to show my support and be a
part of the change that's coming."

"Because if we don’t this will continue to go on as it has for generations"

26
 "protests like the ones in Milton Keynes are encouraging because they’re fighting for the cause without
harming anyone, but I haven’t been to any protests in London because they’re not doing that"

Roughly two thirds of respondents to our survey in early June said they had participated in online activism in
the past week, including having conversations with friends and family, sharing posts on social media, donating
to the cause and writing to their MP. When we asked What could help you to take part in online activism?, the
responses included:

"knowing that things such as donations and signing petitions will accumulate and in the end create a
larger result, which will hopefully make a difference"

"WiFi"

"Just a quiet person don’t tend to join in on the social media side of things"

"More positive response from media about online activism"

"I don’t have a lot of money to anyway that I can help or spread the word without it being too costly I
like to do"

"Probably more quick links because people want to do things quickly but don't want to go through the
process of searching and finding things"

The “WiFi” response above is perhaps a sign that the digital divide could be influencing the political landscape
and that digital inclusion remains a key issue. In early June, we also asked What's preventing/prevented you
from joining a protest? The majority of respondents cited fears for their own health or their family’s health and
the need to follow social distancing guidelines. For example:

"The virus is still out there and the health of myself and my household comes before the peaceful
protesting. I will contribute to the struggle in another way which I have done for years!"

"They started off peaceful but now they are causing harm and damage which is wrong and defeats the
object of the protest and also people are not social distancing"

"corona virus, and I don't want to take public transport"

"i support the movement. But the irony of protesting for black lives but gathering in the thousands
during a pandemic that affects black lives more than any other race, is not lost on me. I wish more
protests were practicing social distancing like the one in Milton Keynes, but there’s not much I can do
other than use my voice online"

27
When we showed respondents to the same survey a photograph of a protest in Hyde Park and asked them
What word or words come to mind when you see this image?, opinions were divided. Half felt positive and
supportive about those who had attended whilst the other half felt concern and anxiety, with some criticism of
the attendees. The responses included:

"Peaceful and purposeful"

"Empowering! I love that our generation have all united to take a stand about what we think is wrong.
We’re not going to let it sit back because we’re “too young”. The voices WILL be heard"

"Dangerous (social distancing wise)"

"Coronavirus can kill me now but white people have always been killing me."

"They seem to be distancing which is very good and I think that balancing social distancing with
protesting as far as possible is really important"

"Sad that they had to put themselves at risk for racial equality that the government should be
advocating anyway."

In our survey in early June, we also showed our survey participants a photograph of the statue of a slave trader
being thrown into Bristol harbour by BLM protesters and asked What word or words come to mind when you
see this image? Around three quarters felt positive about the event whilst the rest felt anxious or critical of the
action. Comments included:

"Incredible. Strong. Shows that it people won’t see a change, they will create change themselves. That I
don’t know if chucking it in the harbour was good."

"strange because it's mostly white people, surprised"

"Good. The statue should've never been there in the first place. and they should leave it in the water."

"Dissapointed, no need"

"poetic justice. he was a slave trader that threw slaves off ships and into the sea. he killed thousands of
innocent people, and this was for them."

BLIA CK BLM BLM

L VTETSER BLACK
MA LIV
MATTEESR

28
 “When will life
get back to normal?”
Additional activity
The young people who took part in our online listening project became so engaged that it was the catalyst for
other activities, including blogs, videos and a TikTok challenge.

Blogs
From baking to FaceTime to yoga, our respondents found innovative ways to cope with lockdown. Some of them
kindly shared their experiences in blogs that were published on the Partnership for Young London23 and Good
Thinking24 websites.

"The first few weeks of quarantine were like sweet, sweet bliss... Waking up when we wanted, sleeping
when we wanted and pretty much completing Netflix, YouTube and the internet." (Brook)

"During these strange times, I’ve found myself constantly reflecting on ways to live better. I am grateful
I have a roof over my head. I am also glad to have some good family and friends around me." (Taiwo)

Videos
To reiterate the importance of young people’s voices in lockdown, a number of respondents created videos as a
follow-up to the surveys. The videos are available on the Partnership for Young London25 website.

"My mental health, I'm not really even sure about

that. Because I feel like I was doing good before,
in terms of school and social life and physical,
and through quarantine, I don't know, like, I think
it's still the same, but I’m just more bored..."
(Bidesh)

"I think they [the government] definitely need

to remember the young people because young
people are so important." (Salem)

30
 #WhatMattersMost challenge
In phase one of the project, a key learning was that some young people believe they should be using lockdown to
think about what's really important to them. To help young people reflect on the people, places and things that
should be their priority, TikTok worked with Partnership for Young London and Good Thinking to develop the
hashtag challenge #WhatMattersMost26, which has had more than 170 million views to date.

31
Closing remarks
Although life has returned to some kind of normality in recent weeks, many young people still need support for
their mental wellbeing. Imagine the loneliness of being sent home from school to self-isolate or quarantining in
a hall of residence that you have only just moved into. Consider trying to cope with an anxiety disorder or other
mental health concern while the news is full of stories about cases rising and restrictions increasing.

Our Digital Health Ambassadors and the other young people who completed our questionnaires should be
truly proud of their role in this project. They include Andreea, Antonio, Arden, Bidesh, Brook, David, Grace, Gigi,
Humayra, Jamaar, JC, Kamahl, Kate, Mushtaq, Nadar, Natalya, Rigers, Salem, Sayesan, Selina, Shelby, Taiwo and
Vanes. We would like to thank them for being so generous with their time; for sharing their thoughts, concerns
and coping strategies; for their honesty and eloquence.

Thank you especially to Troy Norbert and the Partnership for Young London team for providing so much support
and motivation to our survey respondents over the last few months.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic goes on and young people still face an uncertain future. But there is
hope. Our respondents have shown enormous resilience in the face of an unprecedented threat as well as a deep
respect for others in their communities. Many put greater restrictions on themselves than they were asked to and
we strongly believe they should not be made a scapegoat for this virus.

If, in the Prime Minister’s recent words, our collective destiny and our collective health has never “depended so
completely on our individual behaviour”27, those who took part in our study are already leading the way. Let’s take
what we have learned from this process and from our respondents and use it to help even more young people.

About the authors

Sharon Long
Sharon has worked across the voluntary and statutory sector with a specific focus on children and young
people’s services. Her role at Partnership for Young London involves developing collaborations to influence youth
policy and practice with her amazing team.

Troy Norbert
Troy works for Partnership for Young London and the Ignite Trust. His role involves supporting and empowering
children and young people across London.

Tracy Parr
Tracy leads Good Thinking, London’s digital mental wellbeing service. She is also programme director for children
and young people at the Healthy London Partnership.

Dr Richard Graham
Richard is a Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist and Clinical Director of Good Thinking, London's digital
mental wellbeing service.

32
References
1 Partnership for Young London and Good Thinking (May 2020) Checking in: Voices of young people during lockdown
https://3532bf5a-d879-4481-8c8f-127da8c44deb.usrfiles.com/ugd/3532bf_7c20f5f6ef1e4c25afd7be462efa4126.pdf

2 Barnardo’s (June 2020) Generation lockdown: a third of children and young people experience increased mental health difficulties
https://www.barnardos.org.uk/news/generation-lockdown-third-children-and-young-people-experience-increased-mental-health

3 Kooth (May 2020) Week 10: How Covid-19 is Affecting the Mental Health of Children and Young People
https://xenzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/150520_CYP_infographic_D4.pdf

4 UCL (2020) COVID-19 Social Study

https://www.covidsocialstudy.org/

5 Wellcome (2020) Collective Resilience and Covid Living

https://wellcome.org/reports/mental-health-listening-young-people-and-learning-covid-19

6 YoungMinds (Summer 2020) Coronavirus: Impact on Young People with Mental Health Needs
https://youngminds.org.uk/about-us/reports/coronavirus-impact-on-young-people-with-mental-health-needs/

7 Institute for Fiscal Studies (May 2020) Educational gaps are growing during lockdown
https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/14849

8 The Resolution Foundation (May 2020) Class of 2020: Education leavers in the current crisis
https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/app/uploads/2020/05/Class-of-2020.pdf

9 The Sunday Times (June 2020) Letter to the editor: School shut-out is crushing children
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/letter-to-the-editor-school-shut-out-is-crushing-children-nrkd5lgz7

10 UK Youth (April 2020) The impact of COVID-19 on young people & the youth sector
https://www.ukyouth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/UK-Youth-Covid-19-Impact-Report-External-Final-08.04.20.pdf

11 Psychology Today (date unknown) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/therapy-types/acceptance-and-commitment-therapy

12 #iwill (May 2020) It’s time for the Government to engage with young people
https://www.iwill.org.uk/open-letter-to-uk-govt

13 Wellcome (2020) Collective Resilience and Covid Living

https://wellcome.org/reports/mental-health-listening-young-people-and-learning-covid-19

14 NHS (September 2017) Health anxiety

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/health-anxiety/

15 Jungmann and Witthöft (May 2020) Health anxiety, cyberchondria, and coping in the current COVID-19 pandemic: Which factors
are related to coronavirus anxiety?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7239023/

16 King’s College London and Ipsos MORI (June 2020) New data reveals how UK is sleeping under coronavirus lockdown
https://www.ipsos.com/ipsos-mori/en-uk/how-uk-is-sleeping-under-coronavirus-covid19-lockdown

17 Institute for Fiscal Studies (May 2020) Educational gaps are growing during lockdown
https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/14849

18 The Resolution Foundation (May 2020) Class of 2020: Education leavers in the current crisis
https://www.resolutionfoundation.org/app/uploads/2020/05/Class-of-2020.pdf

33
19 Kooth (April 2020) How has Covid-19 Affected the Mental Health of Children and Young People in the United Kingdom?
https://about.kooth.com/covid19-data/

20 YoungMinds (Summer 2020) Coronavirus: Impact on Young People with Mental Health Needs
https://youngminds.org.uk/about-us/reports/coronavirus-impact-on-young-people-with-mental-health-needs/

21 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (date unknown) Ten Tasks of Adolescent Development

https://hr.mit.edu/static/worklife/raising-teens/ten-tasks.html

22 Syracuse University (date unknown) What is Moral Injury

https://moralinjuryproject.syr.edu/about-moral-injury/

23 Partnership for Young London website

https://www.partnershipforyounglondon.org.uk/youthlisteningproject

24 Good Thinking website

https://www.good-thinking.uk/coronavirus/personal-stories/

25 Partnership for Young London website

https://www.partnershipforyounglondon.org.uk/youthlisteningproject

26 TikTok (2020) #WhatMattersMost challenge

https://www.tiktok.com/tag/whatmattersmost?lang=en

27 @BorisJohnson on Twitter (September 2020)

https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1308694815916294144

34