TikTok partners Partnership for Young London in their latest #WhatMattersMost challenge to better understand young people’s experience during lockdown and give them a voice
For many young people, the global pandemic has created a more challenging present and a less certain future. Now more than ever, young people need support but rules on social distancing and lockdown make it harder to check in with them to find out how they’re feeling, what’s worrying them and what support they might need. With that, TikTok has launched #WhatMattersMost challenge to support young people in lockdown.
TikTok is supporting a youth charity to run a listening project with young people aged 14-24 to better understand their experience of lockdown and give them a voice. Whilst no group of young people can speak for all, some key themes have emerged. These are explored more fully in the company’s project partner’s report but include: the challenge of coping with uncertainty, anxiety about going outside, negative mental health impacts and how connecting to friends and family digitally makes them feel.
TikTok was bowled over by the young people’s commitment to supporting each other, their families and their wider communities despite facing challenges of their own. The company is hugely grateful to them for participating and hope this project will go some way to introducing their thoughts, concerns and solutions into discussions about how best to meet their needs.
One of the findings that struck the social-media company was young people want to use lockdown as a moment for self-reflection about what’s really important to them. But this comes easier to some than others. For those who struggle, this can create additional worry.
In response to this finding, TikTok worked with their project partners to develop the #WhatMattersMost challenge which gives people an easy way to carve out a brief moment of self-reflection. It’s the company’s small contribution in response to the report and hopes others will hear the voices of young people and be similarly inspired.
The social-networking company has been so impressed by the community’s contributions to the challenge so far, and can’t wait to see the new and wonderful ways in which young people on TikTok will continue to use their creativity to overcome these difficult times.
This is just one of the ways TikTok has been supporting the community during the lockdown, others include #HouseofTikTok, a series of fun and educational live programmes and challenges aimed at keeping the community happy, healthy and entertained at home.
TikTok has supported Partnership for Young London and Healthy London Partnership Good Thinking service to run a bi-weekly listening project with young people aged 14-24 in and around London to better understand their experience of Covid-19. The young people are part of the Digital Health Ambassador programme set up jointly by Healthy London Partnership and Partnership for Young London.
Ambassadors are invited to answer a questionnaire developed by PYL and HLP, developed using the ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) model to encourage a mindful, guided self-reflection. The project team includes Dr Richard Graham, a consultant psychiatrist specialising in child development and digital wellbeing.
