Comics Youth & Covid-19
As lockdown restrictions ease, we want to offer a reminder that we haven’t wavered in our promise to the young people of our City Region:
We see you. We love you and we are here for you. We are 100% committed to supporting you during this lockdown and to whatever the future may bring during these uncertain times.
Before we go into our updated plan, we want you to tie the following words around your heart and tug on them in times of need. ‘You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”- Winnie the Pooh. You will always have a friend in us.
Below is a little FAQ outlining changes as we move forward, and it (hopefully) covers everything you might have questions about. The core of our strategy is love: We want everyone who uses and works for our service to not just feel protected and safe, but also actively be protected and safe too. Love isn’t just lip service, it’s action. And this is ours.
Comics Youth & Covid-19:
The Snappy Short Version
We’re open
From Friday the 19th of March we’ll be re-opening again for face-to-face youth work through a revised timetable.
Our Sessions Will be Delivered Face-to-Face and Online/Digitally
We have once again adapted our delivery to ensure that the support and services we offer to young people can be accessed remotely in a variety ways. Some of our sessions will continue to be solely delivered online in light of guidance from NYA. Please see our in-depth plan for more information.
We’ll Continue to Review the Situation & Our Circumstances in Line with Government Guidance
Please be sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and/or Facebook for updates on our circumstances and delivery as and when they may change.
Please Get in Touch if You’re Concerned or Have Suggestions to Share or Questions to Ask
For non-urgent queries please email hi@comicsyouth.co.uk.
For feedback, suggestions, or urgent questions contact Rhiannon@comicsyouth.co.uk or ste@comicsyouth.co.uk.
Please be sure to read the complete guide below before getting in touch.
We’re currently receiving a high volume of communications so please note that there could be a delay in receiving a response. We thank you for your patience! <3
Comics Youth Update: The In-Depth Version
In line with the Prime Ministers statement on the 4th of January 2021, we have reviewed the guidelines provided by the UK government as well as the National Youth Agency (NYA) to determine how changes to Lockdown will affect our current digital youth work provision. Following the revised National Youth Agency Guidelines, (https://nya.org.uk/guidance/), outlining the following activities as being permissible:
Online and digital youth services.
1-2-1 sessions with vulnerable young people (indoors)
Support groups indoors are permitted for vulnerable young people. A maximum of 15 individuals per setting.
Q: What services are closed or postponed?
Our Activism cohorts will remain to be delivered online until the foreseeable. We encourage any member of our Activism groups to access our Saturday Safe Spaces drop-in support.
Q: How are you going to continue to support young people?
During part 1B of the Youth Sector Roadmap, we will deliver a blended learning model of face-to-face and digital youth work. Our Discord Servers will continue to be available for young people aged 13+ but ALSO incorporate weekly Microsoft Teams meetings for Young People from Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Our online Junior sessions will move to being delivered face-to-face. We will continue to support young people to engage in social action activities, creative sessions, gaming opportunities, arts, and a host of timetabled events.
Core Activities include:
Dungeons and Dragons
Face-to-face delivery will be able to start again from the 20th of March 2021, between 3pm-5pm. We are only able to accommodate 1 group until the 29th of March 2021. This is a closed group that will continue to be delivered via DISCORD and face-to-face. If you’d like to form your own party-please let us know! For more information, please email anna@comicsyouth.co.uk.
Saturday Juniors
Our Saturday Juniors session are open. Sessions will be delivered between 11am-12:30pm at our Creative HQ. For more information, please email kay@comicsyouth.co.uk.
Safe Spaces
We will be running our Saturday Safe Spaces sessions will be delivered between 1:30PM-3:00pm at our Creative HQ.
Safe Spaces will ALSO continue to deliver sessions via our Discord Server/Microsoft Teams and activities will be centred around designing IRL and digital safe spaces, learn how to write poetry, make resources for our peers during this difficult time, have a natter about what’s going on in the world…and make waves in planning our Safe Spaces Trail and much more!
Pencil Pals
Pencil Pals offers individual support by Comics Youth staff to young people who have childhood cancer or have received care from Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
The aim is to improve quality of life, reduce isolation, increase confidence and self-esteem, and open realms of creativity and self-expression via comic book design and story design. Support is delivered for x1hour per week via Microsoft Teams over a period of up to 8 weeks. If you’d like more information please email anna@comicsyouth.co.uk
Marginal Activism Programme
Our Face-to-face activism sessions will be closed until further notice. Our Activism Discord Server is open to anyone aged 13-25 who would like to engage in online Activism. At present we run x3 closed online group sessions for our members. If you would like to receive more information regarding any of our upcoming Activist activities, please email Emily via hi@comicsyouth.co.uk.
Marginal Development Programme
Young people on our Marginal Development Programme will be able to book in 1-2-1 support sessions at our Creative HQ. We will also continue to use our closed Discord group for members of our development programme to receive mentoring, coaching and advice from our Arts Director regarding their individual Comic Book and publication projects. We’ll also keep a general channel open so you can stay connected in between sessions. Some meetings may take place via Microsoft Teams. For more information on our next Marginal cohort please email steven@comicsyouth.co.uk.
One-to-One Support
These sessions will be for young people who need support from a member of the team and young people will be able to book a session to talk through any issues they are currently experiencing. This will be delivered via the phone or Microsoft Teams. For more information, please email rhiannon@comicsyouth.co.uk.
Q: What is a DISCORD server?
Our Discord Channel is a Comics Youth CIC service. Its primary function is to provide a space where you can chill and stay connected to our Comics Youth Family and continue to interact with all our Projects and change-making plans!
Discord is a free voice, video and text chat app for teens and adults aged 13+. Teens can access Discord via their PC, browser, or mobile phone (www.discord.com) for free.
The Comics Youth Servers are entirely closed and invite only. Each user is authorised by our Safeguarding Lead and each member has to complete a Comics Youth Membership form before they are given access to any server or channel (https://comicsyouth.co.uk/membershipform). Servers will be monitored by staff and Peer Mentors and structured virtual Youth Work sessions and events will happen each week.
As a youth service, our biggest goal is to make sure every young person who accesses our projects is safe, valued and cared for. Our community Guidelines and Child Protection and Safeguarding policies indicate how ALL users should act on our Discord Servers so that your teen knows what behaviour is and isn’t okay.
Discord is super secure. Each Server protects sensitive information-including contact information and conversations-from appearing in public search. We have also set features to protect everyone from inappropriate content or unwanted contact. CY Discord Community Guidelines 2020.docx
Q: What hours will services be available?
Our opening hours will be as normal, Tuesday-Saturdays. 10:30am-6:30pm Tuesdays-Fridays and 10am-4:30pm on Saturdays.
Q: What can you do to help?
Number 1: Look after yourself and your loved ones. Take calm, sensible advice from the NHS and other public bodies. Try to avoid viewing too much material online via news outlets and social media. This content can cause distress and anxiety and if we’re honest, sometimes it’s often healthier to speak to trusted friends or family members and focus on official sources of information.
Q: How can we give you feedback?
How can we make this transition and digital period better for you? We would love to know if there’s something you need from us at this difficult time that we’re not already offering, so please let us know your feedback and ideas! Please email rhiannon@comicsyouth.co.uk if you have any. As always, your thoughts and feedback mean the world to us! Please continue to access our Discord and email chat service for support as needed.
Q: I have a question not answered above. What should I do?
Please email hi@comicsyouth.co.uk if you have a non-urgent question and we will reply as soon as possible. We are expecting an increase in the volume of communications so please forgive us for any delay.
If you are seeking emergency medical advice, please follow your normal procedures with healthcare professionals and, for COVID-19 related issues, go to www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or- depending on your symptoms contact 111.
Q: Where can I go for additional mental health support?
The plan has been created using guidance from the government, National Youth Agency, NHS, Public Health England, Health and Safety Executive and our wider stakeholders.
If you are struggling, please reach out and seek support:
Mind Infoline: 0300 123 3393 or text 86463
Papyrus: 08000684141
Childline (for under 19s): 08001111
SANEline: 0300 304 7000
The Mix (under 25s): 0808 808 4994
LGBT Switchboard: 0300 330 0630
Shout: text 8528