A Moray youth group is finally able to welcome people back into its town centre base after months of only being able to offer help either in outdoor sessions or over the internet.
Elgin Youth Development Group has been finding ways to keep going during the pandemic, but will now be able to run one of their usual groups at their Warehouse premises in the town as it slowly tries to get back to normal.
Youth team manager Carol MacLennan said the youngsters were “delighted” to be able to get back together for the first time in months.
The session was fully booked in advance and there is already a waiting list for the next gathering this week.
Within seven days of lockdown, the team had managed to set up online sessions but they still felt a “massive loss”.
Ms MacLennan said: “We normally work with around 250 young people and virtually there was 100 but others disappeared.
“Technology is great but there are also barriers. Some don’t want to appear on camera and also we can’t do anything about the infrastructure here.
“Some only have so much data as that’s all mum and dad can afford.
“We used to talk about particular groups of people being disadvantaged or vulnerable – and the prospect of another lockdown will have a real impact on every young person.”
With some youngsters experiencing digital inequality and poverty, it is not possible for everyone to participate in online activities.
It was a huge relief to the team when they were finally able to meet young people for socially distanced one-to-one sessions.
Workers reported difficulties in trying to read the body language of those they were trying to help while communicating over video conferencing technology.
Ms MacLennan believes that funding has been “quite rightly” focusing on the response to Covid-19 but is now calling for long term investment in youth work.
She said: “Young people are lost. Their resilience is low, they are experiencing nervousness, anxiety – their confidence has taken a knock.
“The ability to see their own potential and to connect with the wider community has been sadly lost.”
