How do we re-engage Covid’s “Lost Generation”?
The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the education, careers and dreams of young people across the UK. Three years later, many are still rebuilding their lives and embarking on new and unexpected paths with help from youth charity, The Prince’s Trust.
Inside the walls of his bedroom and the prison of his mind, Andy Ryley couldn’t see a way out. “Everything became too much and I decided it’d be easier to take my own life,” he says. Thankfully his family and emergency services came to his rescue before it was too late. “I’m so lucky they got to me in time,” he says. “I’m devastated that my family had to go through that, but it was then that I was able to start turning my life around.”
At 26 Andy was one of millions of young people whose education, careers and dreams were put on hold when the UK entered its first lockdown at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020. “I was a sociable guy working in the US as a sports coach but I lost my job because of the pandemic and had to move back to the Midlands and live with my dad and sister,” says Andy. “I also went through a break up and really struggled not being able to socialise, I was in a really dark place.”
A study carried out by The Prince’s Trust – a UK-based charity that helps young people aged between 11 and 30 to overcome challenges and build a better future for themselves – found that over half of young people surveyed (52%) agreed they had “lost confidence in themselves” as a result of the pandemic. Forty-four per cent said that they didn’t know how they’d get their life “back on track”. The research also revealed that just 22% felt confident in their future career, and 19% admitted they lacked “the confidence to go after the job they want”.
For Andy, a diagnosis of depression marked the beginning of a new chapter. “I’ve always loved sport and I decided to treat depression like a competition; it was something I could aim to beat,” says Andy. He also realised that sport could be the catalyst to restart his career and came up with an idea to launch a business – Impactivity: talking without limits – with the aim of improving awareness of mental health through the delivery of sport and team building workshops. “I thought if I could help just one person who is suffering from mental health problems then it would be worth it – it’s not about making money, it’s about helping people.”
Andy enrolled in The Prince’s Trust Enterprise programme, a free initiative that provides support for 18-30 year-olds who want to start businesses, by offering free training, mentoring support, funding and resources. He was able to explore and complete his business plan while also having the support of a mentor. He now delivers talks to schools, universities and sports clubs alongside his day job teaching rugby at a local school. Last year, his work with the local community was recognised when he was named as one of the baton carriers for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Andy isn’t the only person who has used the Trust to turn their life around. At the same time his mental health problems were taking hold, just a few kilometres away, Emily Joeres, who was then just 20, was trying to escape problems of her own. “I was working at a warehouse and I just didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life,” she says. “It was the fourth job I’d taken since leaving school and then the pandemic hit and I was furloughed. I had no communication with my boss and no purpose or structure.”
With her mood darkening, Emily began to look for solutions. Mindfulness, journaling and self-help books helped to fill the empty hours between 9 and 5 and provided a spark of inspiration. “I realised that that’s what I wanted to do,” she says. “I wanted to help teach the same things that were helping me.” She began to follow online creators in the mental wellbeing space and sought to model their approach. “I quit my job and set up a social media platform but made absolutely no money for six months – I started to panic and question everything.”
She needed help and it arrived in the form of a chance encounter when Emily visited a local crystal healing shop. “The owner had started her own business with help from The Prince’s Trust and was teaching a starter program for mindset and mindfulness training,” says Emily. “I enrolled in a week-long programme with the Trust that she was teaching. She taught us about the importance of mindset in business and then offered me a part-time job at her shop.”
Since then, Emily’s social media platform has continued to grow, while she continues to work part-time at the shop. Emily is also a Young Ambassador for the Trust, a role that has opened up a number of opportunities. “I’ve been able to do lots of public speaking, talking about my experiences, which has developed my confidence and skills massively,” she says. “I’ve also been part of a number of campaigns, including one with Cadbury’s and the Trust – my face was on the side of a bar of chocolate, which was an absolute dream.”
Since it was founded in 1976 by His Majesty The King, when he was HRH The Prince of Wales, The Prince’s Trust has helped more than a million young people across the UK to get back on their feet. For both Emily and Andy, the future looks bright again. “‘I genuinely couldn’t and wouldn’t have been able to start my business without the support of The Prince’s Trust,” says Andy. “I’d recommend the Enterprise programme to any young person who wants to start their own business.” For Emily, her change in mindset has been key. “The Trust has given me so much confidence, I now genuinely feel passionate about building a life I want to live.”
If you would like to find out more about The Prince's Trust or to make a donation to support the charity's work, click here: www.princes-trust.org.uk