Youth outreach group adjusts to life amid pandemic

Carrick Connect is a local not-for-profit organisation aimed at interacting with young people from the ages of 11 to 25 years.

The organisation recently shared a story on social media highlighting the difficulty of continuing face-to-face outreach work whilst adhering to social distancing guidelines.

Tracey McNickle, Project Coordinator said: "Carrick Connect is still operating on a limited service throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Our mentoring service, which is funded totally by National Lottery Community Fund Northern Ireland and partly funded by the Tudor Foundation, normally sees us mentor young people one-to-one directly, in either our venue or a local coffee shop.

"Unfortunately, due to self distancing and government guidelines, we have had to adjust to online or phone call mentoring. This has worked out relatively well for Carrick Connect, as it has seen us work through our waiting list and continue to mentor and have consistent communication with all our previous young people. We have also been able to have communication open to the public for support through email or our Facebook page."

Tracey added: "Young people are feeling the need to talk and to be close to people around them. Our self distancing rules and regulations have been somewhat challenging to some, especially those with poor mental health.

"We have had a few incidents with young people disclosing that they are feeling suicidal. Last weekend we had to transport a young person to hospital after a very distraught phone call that left us feeling concerned for his safety.

"We were very aware of self distancing and although feeling very uncertain about being in close contact with people outside of our household, we felt a life was better to be saved than lost. Gloves and masks were worn with young person in the back of the car and taken to the entrance of the hospital. We could go no further and then had to spend time outside on phone explaining the young person's situation and circumstances to hospital staff. Thankfully, the young person is safe."

The group has had to temporarily suspend Railtastic, an outreach programme centred around the rail network. "At the beginning, we were hugely concerned as we were hearing reports that large crowds of youth were still congregating together. Thankfully, this has seemed to stop," Tracey said.

A recent report from the Northern Ireland charity sector’s Chief Executive group, CO3, highlighted how many organisations are currently experiencing financial difficulties.

"Financially, we have been very blessed. We feel worried for charities who do such an amazing job in their community and could very well suffer from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic," Tracey said. "We are thankful for our funders who have let us have free rein to provide what we feel is best for our community at this time.

"We have had the opportunity to reallocate funding planned for activities, and we have been able to put it to good use to care for our community during such an unsettled time. We have had two big fundraisers cancelled this year; the first was our quiz in Carrick Golf Club, the other our fundraiser with The Bucky Gelder pop-up restaurant in The Windrose. We are confident though that these will happen again at a later date."

The pandemic has impacted on the availability of volunteers, who are all having to self-distance at home. "Jonny, our youth worker has an underlying heart condition so is self isolating at home, but still currently mentoring from his armchair," said Tracey.

"I have been making up children's activity packs to help keep the little ones entertained and am in the process of introducing a new project pack each week for the next month. Last week was young children, this week is older children with scrapbooks and journals added to packs to encourage children to record their thoughts and how life is at present, as we are indeed living through history.

"We feel that everyone needs a lift at this time, so I will also be making up wellbeing packs for men and women and packs for our more mature generation. If we can make people smile and give people hope, then that is what we set out to do."

Should you need support, contact Carrick Connect by emailing [email protected] or by private messaging the organisaiton on Facebook.