My generation has a message for Boris Johnson

If I were to travel back in time and tell my friends that in 12 months I wouldn’t be going to the Isle of Wight Festival after our GCSEs, I’d have been mocked incessantly. A year later, however, instead of watching bands in the sun, I am playing my 14th video game of the day. Disappointing? Yes, a little. But it’s by no means the most pressing problem to emerge from this pandemic.

In a recent address to school leavers, the Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for our “empathy” and “resilience” as we have missed out on “parties and festivals”. While I appreciate his acknowledgement of those who haven’t had their dream post-GCSE holiday, these sacrifices are worth making for the greater good. The elephant in the room is young people’s mental health. A study by UCL, Imperial College and the University of Sussex has shown that during lockdown, one in three 16 to 24-year-olds have experienced moderate to severe anxiety, and almost half have reported high levels of depressive symptoms.

The Government hasn’t neglected the younger generation. The Chancellor’s £2 billion Kickstart jobs scheme will make a difference. But younger teenagers like me, unable to find many jobs outside babysitting or dog-walking, gain little from such schemes. We urgently need ways to reconnect with our friends and rediscover our purpose. Failing to do so soon might turn my generation’s mental health crisis into a catastrophe.

When my GCSE exams were cancelled I felt years of hard work had gone down the drain. Later, I realised it was probably the right call, but it was still frustrating. My results will be on predicted grades, so I think I am fine, but others won’t be so lucky. Generally, I’ve got along with my family in lockdown, but there have still been arguments. My parents point out that resolving things quickly is vital.

We all know there’s a problem, but what can be done? The NCS (National Citizen Service) has helped. This Government programme offers young people opportunities to keep busy and motivated with activities focused on learning new skills. For example, NCS is challenging us to improve our cooking, or to get our voices heard by sharing our thoughts on “Life After Lockdown”. Such activities are essential to keeping young people energised and interacting with each other again, helping to defeat the boredom that crept in during lockdown.

I appreciate the PM’s awareness of the experiences we’ve missed out on, but our mental health is more important. Some of my age group seriously struggled in lockdown, and may continue to. Opportunities like NCS are there. But we need to seize them before it’s too late.