THE GOVERNMENT’S Covid advice being ‘too posh’, ‘clinical’ and ‘too scary’ has inspired a group of Coventry teenagers to create a video to stress to their peers the importance of following the regulations.
The two-minute movie was created through a partnership between the Positive Youth Foundation and Coventry City Council which asked the young people to create their own content.
Other criticisms included the national guidance being too confusing to understand.
‘Own Your Space’ was put together entirely from the thoughts and ideas of the young people involved at Positive Youth Foundation.
It illustrates – in a relevant and appealing way – the importance of younger people following the advice, including washing hands, socially distancing and wearing a face covering when required, in a way that is relevant and appealing to them.
The council helped support production but did not give any suggestions around how it should be told or look.
Covid-19 is still a significant threat to the city and, the council said, it was more important than ever for people of all ages to play their part to stop the spread of the virus.
Andrew Jack, Trustee and Chair at Positive Youth Foundation said: “It’s brilliant to see young people stepping forward and leading by example.
“The messages in this video clearly show us how much they care about the health and safety of their peers and family.”
The National Lottery Community Fund has supported The Positive Youth Foundation for the past four years and
Andrew hopes projects like Own Your Space shoes how that support is helping young people make a difference in the community.
The editorial team of young people have worked incredibly hard to come up with an innovative way to portray a youth focused Covid-19 health message video.
Tanzila Shaikh, Youth Advisory Board Chair at Positive Youth Foundation said: “A lot of young people are feeling lost and confused about the messages out there, so we wanted to make a simple video that’s relatable and shows that it doesn’t take much effort for us to be safe.”
Coventry City Council leader Coun George Duggins added: “Positive Youth Foundation can reach young people and key communities in a way the city Council can’t.
“They are committed to supporting young people in Coventry and have shown they can do just that through this video.
“The dedication of the young team that put this video together and their support to want to help and educate other young people in the city during this challenging time is truly commendable.”
Own Your Space is just the start. There are plans to create more videos around what young people need to know about Covid-19 and the team are keen to start exploring how they can continue to connect with the city’s youth.
The full-length video can be viewed at the top of this story.
Visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus for the latest rules and advice.
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