Words by Smiley Team
When Naomi Lea, a twenty-one year old from Cardiff had the inspiration for a youth loneliness initiative to tackle the isolation caused by COVID-19, she did not expect it to grow into a thriving community coalition working to create a digital space which could unite young people around Wales, many of whom live in rural areas.
Project Hope is organised by a coalition of young people and youth professionals and connects young people through online gatherings, offering quizzes, tutorials, wellbeing sessions and creative activities. It functions much like a youth club, providing vital services for young people’s wellbeing, but through digital platforms meaning young people can get involved from wherever they are.
Naomi says that the work of Project Hope is incredibly important to her because the inspiration came from her own experiences. ‘I noticed that many other young people might be feeling the same, both those who were already struggling with feelings of loneliness before this and those who may be struggling more now with not being able to access their usual network of friends.’
Project Hope is still in the early stages of development but the community has already seen the benefits of bringing together a group of young people and professionals to create a plan of change. Although the aim of the project has been to halt loneliness amongst young people themselves, the organisers have also reaped the benefits of being involved in the project, giving them a sense of purpose in a time of uncertainty.
Naomi encourages other young people who want to affect change but are not sure how to make the most of what resources they do have, and to not let fear stop them. ‘It’s important to remember that we are in a very new situation and that although it is hard to know what the right thing is or what is enough, by coming together as communities we can help play a small part in helping each other feel less isolated!’
To help with organising Project Hope, or to offer to host a session sharing any skills you might have with the young people involved, you can get in touch at [email protected] and follow the group on social media at @ylprojecthope.
By Ellen Jones
