A new report from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs has found that the Covid-19 pandemic has had negative effects on young people’s health and wellbeing, especially amongst marginalised groups.
The report, based on the findings of research undertaken by SpunOut and the Department’s Youth Advisory Group, shows how young people struggled with being separated from their friends, and faced significant mental health impacts as a result of Covid-19 and the restrictions.
The report found that:
- Missing friends was most commonly cited as a challenge faced during Covid-19 (cited by 35% of respondents), followed by impact on health (20%), school/college problems (18%), and cabin fever (16%)
- Young people’s feelings towards the future were mixed. Over one third of respondents reporting optimism for the future. However, negative feelings such as anxiety, uncertainty, pessimism and fear were also common
- Young people mentioned a range of positives that they wished to take forward, including maintaining a healthy lifestyle, self-care, quality family time and relief from pressure of commutes and school or college. However, almost one in ten respondents were unable to name any positives.
On the publication of the report, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Roderic O’Gorman TD said,
“Young people have faced profound and unique challenges throughout the Covid-19 restrictions. Yet despite schools closing, separation from friends and family, and economic uncertainty, they have shown remarkable resilience. We have a generation of young people who are rising to the challenges posed by Covid-19.
“I’d like to thank everyone who participated in the research, and to SpunOut for facilitating the work. As the Recovery and Resilience Plan sets out, supporting young people is not merely a whole of of society task. My Department is committed to playing a lead role on this as we look to overcome the challenges ahead”.
The Department’s Youth Advisory Group, which was invited to respond to the consultation findings, expressed the need for more empathy and compassion towards young people, and felt that young people overall have been unfairly scapegoated for spikes in COVID-19 cases.
The Advisory Group said that, now more than ever, mental health services, educational institutions, and youth services need to work together, so that each is aware of the challenges young people have been facing and can help ease them back into everyday life in the next stage of the pandemic and beyond.
Note to Editors:
Youth Advisory Group
Members of the Youth Advisory Group come from across the country, range in age between 15 – 24 years and are nominated through a variety of youth groups and organisations including Comhairle na nÓg, Foroige, Youth Work Ireland, Spunout.ie and the National Youth Council of Ireland.
Some Quotes from Young People on the Impact of COVID-19.
A range of negative impacts were reported by young people. Here is a sample of these, directly quoted from the young people:
“I really missed my friends during lockdown, I missed my boyfriend even more and the lack of contact led to us breaking up shortly after restrictions lifted. It’s been really hard. I miss college, in-person lectures, but mostly seeing my friends at lunch.”
Female 20, urban location
“It has been a roller coaster of ups and down since the very day schools closed, some days have been extremely low, there were weeks where I cried every day and found just getting up challenging.”
Female 18, urban location
“My dad has started to lash out and hit me again – I used to be able escape it by going to college early and studying in the library until very late but now that I have to be at home 24/7, along with the added stress and pressures on my dad due to coronavirus restrictions etc, there’s no escaping it. My mum’s mental health has deteriorated severely these past two weeks which added to the difficulties at home.”
Female 21, urban location
“I found finishing my third level education extremely stressful, I feel that third level students were completely overlooked. With the loss of jobs during COVID-19, I had to work full time as my mother lost her job so I had to help pay the bills. Working full time AND trying to finish my degree year took a severe toll on my mental health.”
Female 21, rural location.
“I feel totally purposeless, demotivated and lost during this time, I feel like most of the activities I do during the day are simply day fillers rather than anything I actually enjoy, I can’t drive so I truly am stuck in my house which is in a rural area with a scarcity of services/facilities. All of this has contributed to major hardship on my mental health.”
Female, 21, rural location.
“My dad has been in the hospital for three months with a serious case of the virus, being stuck at home I had little else to do but dwell on the situation and the likelihood of his death. Although we kept in touch online I found it difficult not having the in-person support of friends and family.”
Female, 20, rural location
“I was forced to drop out of college ... I relied on a grant and normally had to work another job over summer to pay rent in Dublin. I had to quit my jobs because there weren’t enough hours and I can’t get jobseekers assistance as I’m under 24 and I’m not eligible. (The state assumes you’re financially dependent on family if you’re under 24, but that’s not reality for many of us.)”
Female, 20, urban location
Respondents were asked what positives they wanted to keep going forward from the COVID-19 period. This is a sample of responses from the young people:
“I have autism, so don’t like people touching me, and so having everyone at least one metre away from me suits me!”
Female, 18, rural location
“The kindness people show when you’re out and about going about your day, the sense of community spirit.”
Female, 23, rural location
“I think that we’ve had a tough run of things, and that there is so much negativity in the world. But social and global issues are coming more to the foreground, and that we will be the generation to change things for the better. So I am hopeful that things will improve for everyone in the long-term eventually.”
Female, 18, urban location
“None. There seems to be attempts to find positives in this pandemic, but for many people that undermines the trauma we have faced. There have been no positives to COVID-19.”
Female, 24
In response a question on what supports young people need over the coming months, answers included:
“I think more support systems for youth in rural areas. This is a serious need. There are no youth groups or anything in my area and we have the facilities. My friend’s mental health is awful. He’s tried to take his own life three times. We need more support.”
Female, 17, rural location
“A better support system in schools. In school I feel like all they care about is grades and attendance and they never really care about the mental state of the students. A poster with words does not help someone, being there and talking to them does.”
Female, 16, urban location
“More community centres or parks where people can meet rather than going to cafes/ pubs/shops.”
Female, 21, rural location
“Reliable internet for everyone in the country.”
Male, 17, rural location