Lowdown on youths’ worries

IAN BUNTING

New research suggests the majority of young people in North Lanarkshire are concerned about exams and coursework while almost all worry about the impact of coronavirus on their future.

A new study commissioned by the Scottish Youth Parliament, YouthLink Scotland and Young Scot asked young people to share their concerns about Covid- 19 with 90 per cent concerned about exams while 87 per cent worry about the impact of coronavirus on their future.

Working in partnership, Scotland’s leading youth organisations produced the LockdownLowdown report to identify what young people need from the Scottish Government, the NHS, local authorities and others in the future.

The research found that more than three-quarters (77 per cent) of young people in North Lanarkshire are concerned about their mental wellbeing and two in five (36 per cent) young people are not confident accessing information on mental health and wellbeing.

While nine out of ten (86 per cent) young people know how to access information, advice and updates around lockdown, 61 per cent don’t know where to access information on financial support.

That comes at a time when almost three- quarters ( 70 per cent) of young Scots are concerned about their financial situation.

More than 2400 young people across Scotland took part in the research and many respondents stated that decision-makers should improve the impact on education while calling for restrictions to be stricter.

Jack Dudgeon MSYP, chair of the Scottish Youth Parliament, said: “Young people need reassurance that their life opportunities are not at risk.

“Before the Covid- 19 pandemic, we already knew that young people were battling a mental health epidemic, with rates of depression and anxiety skyrocketing.

“The findings from LockdownLowdown reveal that young people in North Lanarkshire are concerned about their own mental wellbeing.

“With their democratic mandate, members of the Scottish Youth Parliament will work with decisionmakers for the benefit of young people’s futures in the context of Covid-19.”