A film featuring eight students from three Trafford schools documenting their time during lockdown has been premiered.
Breaking Barriers, in association with Trafford Council, explores the young people’s feelings, thoughts and emotions, as their lives were turned upside down.
Transitions – directed by Parvez Qadir – enables viewers to see first-hand how they kept occupied, the impact of lockdown, their worries and fears, as well as positives they’ve been able to take from the experience, and their goals for the future.
Lily-Rose Sutherland, Joel McDonald, Amy Clegg, Tyana Reid, Rhys Hargreaves, Felicity Allen, Alekya Datla and Jasmine Briggs, from Flixton Girls School, Urmston Grammar and St Antony's, joined teachers and their family and friends to share their experiences and reflect on their thoughts and emotions as they reacted to the stories that broke during the pandemic.
The film is live on the Trafford Children’s Services You Tube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg94Ksp5NDc
Cllr Cath Hynes, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Children’s Social Care, said:
This is an amazing film and I am so proud of the way our children have been prepared to open up and talk about the impact the shutdown has had on their lives.
“As a Council, we have worked really hard to minimise the impact on our residents. It has taken a toll physically and mentally and we have been working with our partners to ensure everyone – particular the vulnerable – has had access to the services they need.
“This film really hits home how our young people have missed being with friends, going to school and enjoying a social life.
“But there are also positives in there – seeing the children spend time with their families, developing new ways to talk with friends. It is a real roller coaster of emotions and I would urge everyone to watch it and see for themselves how our young people have been impacted.”
Quotes from the young people who took part:
When people watch this video I hope they will be informed about what young people's lives was like during lockdown and how everyone's life was affected differently. How their mental, physical and emotional wellbeing was changed." Tyana Reid - Flixton Girl's School.
I hope you all take away a little part of our lives, everyone in this documentary’s lives.” Rhys, St Anthony’s
I hope people will get out of it what life was like as a teenager in lockdown and also to help future generations learn about coronavirus.” Jasmine, Flixton Girl’s School
It’s given me something to do and it’s been like a nice challenge to think of different things to record of my new life. I hope people will get out of it what a teenager’s life was like and also to help future generations learn about coronavirus.” Joel, Urmston Grammar
It’s been really fun to do – it’s been amazing!" Amy, St Anthony’s
I feel like documenting has made me respect humans more, it’s made me really respect the work that NHS do, that teacher’s do and how they have coped under all of this.” Felicity, Urmston Grammar
Filming has been good and it’s a new experience and I’m grateful for it. “I think for me this has taught me, whatever we’re doing in life, there’s always something to document.” Alekya, Urmston Grammar
Filming for me has been amazing experience, it’s allowed us to bring up issues to talk about them, and maybe to spread them to a wider platform. I think it’s going to be really good to look back at this time, and remember that we did get through it, and we had moments of enjoyment, and exactly what it was like.
I hope that people in the future, other generations, get to see what we went through and get to see how lucky they are to be virus free, or to be allowed to go out. I hope that we remember how lucky we are to see our family every day”
There’s always some things good that’s going to come out of the bad and that’s really important.”Lily, Flixton Girl’s School
Posted on Friday 2nd October 2020