Dear reader, 

 

We hope you enjoy our latest project, BOREDOM-19, a zine that features creative reflections from young people across Essex on their time spent in lockdown. 

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This project provided us with a bridge from the physical to the digital, giving us an opportunity to build cohesion within our local community despite our social isolation. Working on BOREDOM-19 has made up for a lack of wider support and understanding - it’s given us a chance to express our thoughts and experiences when we’ve felt people haven’t been listening. 

 

In recent weeks, we’ve observed how young people have been closely associated with the sudden rise of COVID-19 cases. However, we felt very little acknowledgement of the strength and resilience shown by people like us, whilst dealing with sudden school closures, higher levels of job losses, abnormal university experiences, and grading confusion. Through this project, we’ve brought people together to create a snapshot that reflects young people’s experiences in Essex throughout lockdown. 

 

We invite you to read our zine, and understand how arts and culture projects, like this one, offer a unique avenue for listening to younger voices. They also connect young people to their local community, reduce social isolation, and improve confidence to actively participate in national conversations. Moving forward, we hope projects like this become a priority and ask you to consider what you can do to help young people feel included and visible.

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Thank you for reading, 

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CHELMSFORD CREATIVES