A film by Pishdaad Modaressi Chahardehi produced in collaboration with Khidmat Centres in which nine young people give raw and emotional insight into the experiences of Bradford’s young people as they faced the turmoil brought by COVID-19 and the 2020 lockdowns. Over an aerial of terraced streets in Bradford the opening title. Title: Young in COVID. The Silent Pandemic Credit Filmed by Khidmat Centres A montage of young people’s voices talking about how the COVID pandemic affected them,...

A film by Pishdaad Modaressi Chahardehi produced in collaboration with Khidmat Centres in which nine young people give raw and emotional insight into the experiences of Bradford’s young people as they faced the turmoil brought by COVID-19 and the 2020 lockdowns. Over an aerial of terraced streets in Bradford the opening title. Title: Young in COVID. The Silent Pandemic Credit Filmed by Khidmat Centres A montage of young people’s voices talking about how the COVID pandemic affected them, their families and their contemporaries. Those featured include Hasnain Shafiq, Harry Clayton, Natalina Mudd, Umaimah Siddique, Muhammed Ali Islam and a young black boy who is identified simply as Leo. Sofia Buncy DL Khidmat Centres is also spoken with and talks about how during the pandemic young people’s voices had become invisible, she is seen on the street filming Harry while wearing a facemask and keeping a safe two-metre distance between herself, Harry and PC Huss Ali from Stronger Communities Team at West Yorkshire Police. Issues relating to the rise in number of young people who died by suicide during of the pandemic are discussed by some of the participants. As part of a Muslim funeral service a coffin is carried from the hearse to the graveside with both Hasnain Shafiq and Umaimah Siddique talk about those they have lost to suicide and how it is against their religion. Sofia Buncy also talks about seeing the rise in suicides amongst young Muslims and not anticipating this situation. Inside a local Mosque two young men praying, outside one of them, Numan Aslam Arain, talks alongside Umaimah, Hasnain and Muhammed about the lack of support for young people and the stigma within Muslim communities regarding mental health. James Lauder Assistant Vice Principal Dixons Trinity Academy explaining how mental health services are not good enough before returning to Numan are who provides details on his experiences relating to anxiety and depression after which Sofia Buncy, speaking through a facemask, states that community needs to work together and be stronger. As a group of Muslim men and boys play football in a local park, Sofia Buncy talks in voiceover about the need to strengthen and build on friendships and how an individual can find themselves through mixing with people. Leo explains that he couldn’t speak to his parents the same way as he speaks to his friends while Natalina talks about wanting to meet up with friends but can’t as she would be putting her family at risk. As she speaks, she is seen walking across a playing field being socially distant from Sofia Buncy wearing a facemask. As the men and boys continue to play football together some of the young people featured talk about some of the positive elements of the pandemic. Umaimah talks about strengthening her bonds with her family, Leo talks about how his mother helped him learn to cook while Hasnain also talks about doing more home cooking and not eating as much takeaway. Taking her dog for a walk Natalina talks about how exercise was important to her while as two boys race through the park on their bicycles Leo talks about how he misses the feeling of being with his friends. Following a montage of both the exterior and interior of the Dixons Trinity Academy, Sofia Buncy conducts a socially distant interview with James Lauder after which they go on a tour of the college. Outside James talks about the loss of opportunities for students changes to Leo and Umaimah being taken to the college library. Intercut with their visit Umaimah talks about the loss of her GCSE education but being luck to have received support, while Leo talks about the challenges for him of working from home. A goldfish in a tank changes to a teenager walking along a road. Identified only as Aaron he talks about being in care, a raise of £20 in his Universal Credit and the challenges he had keeping in contact with family and the issues this caused. Khalid Ali Policy and Scrutiny at Valicity Care Services talks about the rise in anxiety and depression due to lack of communication with family and friends changes back to Aaron now walking through a park talking about a carer he knew who was helping him, but had to stop because they contracted COVID. What he believes the pandemic has taught people is that mental health and children in care do matter. Following both Harry and Natalina talking about not knowing anyone who got COVID, Umaimah explains how she and her sister tested positive. Muhammed talks about how several members of his family contracted the disease and how concerning it was seeing the rising number of funeral announcements of people within his community. Inside a local mosque and wearing a cloth facemask is Marium Zumeer who looks through a stained-glass window. Sitting on the floor nearby she talks about how she and her grandfather both became hospitalised with COVID and about her experience of being put into and induced coma for eight-weeks. Standing beside his taxi outside the family home Marium’s father Kaiser talks in voiceover about the death of his father in hospital. As his daughter walks around the mosque Kaiser talks about the challenges of telling her that her grandfather had passed while Marium talks about the experience of seeing him for the last time. Holding each other outside their home, Marium becomes emotional as speaks about how she was informed of her grandfather’s passing and how his death affected her. Over a montage of exterior views around the Khidmat Centre Sofia Buncy talks about the social and economic disparities with families who live within the inner city many of whom are from black, Asian minority ethnic backgrounds. As she and James Lauder walk around outside the centre wearing facemasks, he talks about how the pandemic exposed what was there already while Sophia concluding that while it was believed that everyone was in the same boat during the pandemic, this simply wasn’t true. In a park a group of young South Asian men playing football changes to a montage of some of the young people featured in the film with Sofia Buncy, James Lauder and Khalid Ali talking about the importance of having young people's voices being heard during post-COVID recovery and their needs and ideas incorporated in any plans and they feel part of the process. Bringing the film to a close Muhammed Ali Islam and Marium Zumeer talks about what they have learned from the pandemic while others featured in the film also pass on their final comments. Over an aerial panoramic of the terraced streets of Bradford, a song being sung about how life must go on. Title: Khidmat Centres. Serving the Community. Equality Diversity Respect. Credit: A film by the Khidmat Centres in partnership with Manningham Housing Association and the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government Produced by Sophia Buncy DL Directed by Pishdaad Modaressi Chahardehi Assistant Editors Kimi and Keyhan Modaressi Chahardehi, Alessandro Zebic Sound Design Marcus Anuzis Title: Featuring the voices and stories of Umaimah Siddique, Natalina Mudd, Numan Aslam Arain, Harry Clayton, Leo, Muhammad Ali Islam, Hasnain Shafiq, Marium Zumeer and Aaron With special thanks to Khidmat Centres Youth Group, Dixons Trinity Academy, PC Huss Ali from Stronger Communities Team at West Yorkshire Police, Mary Magdalene CIC, Valicity Care Services End title: West Yorkshire Police. Valicity Care Services. Dixons Trinity Academy