A sequel to ‘Young in COVID: The Silent Pandemic’ directed and edited by Pishdaad Modaressi Chahardehi and produced by Dr Sofia Buncy from Khidmat Centres in collaboration with Bradford Council’s Public Health Department. Released on the third anniversary of the first lockdown, the film explores the challenges for young Bradfordians coming through the pandemic and gives an honest and emotive account on how lockdown and COVID have impacted the lives. The film also looks to the futures for...

A sequel to ‘Young in COVID: The Silent Pandemic’ directed and edited by Pishdaad Modaressi Chahardehi and produced by Dr Sofia Buncy from Khidmat Centres in collaboration with Bradford Council’s Public Health Department. Released on the third anniversary of the first lockdown, the film explores the challenges for young Bradfordians coming through the pandemic and gives an honest and emotive account on how lockdown and COVID have impacted the lives. The film also looks to the futures for young people living in Bradford and what they see as solutions to their recovery. Title: Young in COVID. Routes to Recovery Credit: A film by Khidmat Centres Around the centre of Bradford, a montage of images featuring COVID-19 street and public information signs and a young South Asian woman wearing a facemask walking around empty streets. In voiceover Pam Kershaw Trustee of Rooted In talks about how young people have had to face a fight no other generation have had to face and asks if genuine authentic questions are being asked about how young people are doing. Over a montage of both the woman featured above as well as other young people now meeting up, four young people talks about theirs and their contemporaries experience of coming back into society and the social anxieties this has created especially with regards education. Those features begin with Jorge followed by Harry [Clayton], Trisha and Maverick. Some of those featured are seen speaking with Sophia Buncy Young in Covid Founder from the Khidmat Centres. The film changes to Sarah Muckle Director of Public Health Bradford Council who talks about there being a lot to do to support young people to feel confident to be outside doing things as they did before the pandemic. As the South Asian woman looks off into the distance, Jorge explains that he feels that young people are overlooked in general. Following Sofia walking with a Umaimah [Siddique] in a local park, a montage of clips taken from both film ‘Young in Covid: The Silent Pandemic’ as well as television news reports about it with Sofia explaining that the intentions behind the film to put on record the experience and underrepresented voices of young people throughout the pandemic and how this global episode impacted their lives. Following a screening of the film a discussion is had featuring a panel of those involved in the film and Trisha speaking about how the film impacted her and Sarah Muckle talking about how it made her think about moving forward when looking at COVID recovery. Over a montage of some of those involved in the film speaking with people following a screening, Marium [Zumeer] talks about the work they have done since the film came out to speaks with different leaders across Bradford as well as those at a national level. As Frank Bruno MBE Former WBC Heavyweight presents a ‘Good Morning Britain’ award he is asked about the young people who are currently working on a mental health bill. He believing that most of us will need help at some point in our lives. As Sophia, Harry and Numan [Aslam Arain] walk along a pavement, Harry states that he can’t believe it’s been two years since ‘Young in Covid: The Silent Pandemic’ came out and that so much has happened since then. He is interviewed by Sophia along with PC Huss Ali the Youth Engagement Officer Stronger Communities West Yorkshire Police about being interviewed by the BBC and about going to university to study professional policing. Intercut within this sequence is Marium who is watching a football match and talks about how Bradford isn’t always recognised for its positive things such as ‘Young and Covid Flip the Switch’. As Harry asks Sophia about Marium she explains how she has struggles with long-COVID. As Marium and Sophia walk and talk together in a park, Marium talks about her journey to recovery and how because of the illness she wasn’t able to join the police force as she wanted and how the disease has affected thousands of other young people like her. As Hasnain [Shafiq] walks along a street, the film changes to Umaimah speaking with Sofia and her talks about this sequel being a continuation of young people’s voices exploring ongoing challenges that stem from the consequences of COVID and the solutions and best practices for recovery. A number of young people talk about the challenges of talking about their feelings and asking for help. As he walks through a local cemetery Hasnain talks about a friend who took his own life during COVID. Intercut with Hasnain talking about the social stigma amongst young men and mental health Numan holding a discussion in a school setting. Standing over his friend’s grave Hasnain recites a prayer and regrets not talking with him about his problems as well as the importance of sharing and not ‘bottling it up’ inside. Filmed in a darkened room, Marium speaks with an unidentified man who is an asylum seeker. He talks about being in lockdown before lockdown happened, the challenges of finding work, experiences of racism and finding a lawyer when a ‘refusal’ letter arrived in order that he put in an appeal. He also provides details on why he can’t go back to his home country. As Sofia and Umaimah walk along an alleyway Sofia talks about how economic pressures since the pandemic have pushed some people to seek alternatives. Over a montage of small silver canisters of nitrous oxide being sorted and packaged on a table Sofia and Umaimah along with PC Ali talk about the growing misuse of this easily accessible and cheap drug withing Bradford. Several news reports relating to the dangers of this drug are used to help illustrate the problem with Umaimah in particular providing details on what is being done to raise the awareness of this drug and to educate young people about the dangers. An aerial of Valley Parade the home of Bradford City Football Club and inside Sofia walking along a corridor with Matthew who talks about the opportunities and changes he was given to speak with local leaders and civic minded individuals working with refugees and asylum seekers. Also in the stadium is Kodi who came from the Caribbean in 2016 and talks about how his youth worker helped empower him to interact with other young people. As a group of young people take part in a meeting, an unidentified voice talks about how they were helped and about creating their own youth group. Sitting in the stands at Valley Parade Matthew talks in voiceover about the need for more people to get involved in mental health and to support those who are struggling to get over isolation. Returning to Sarah Muckle she explains that the first challenge is how to get all the diverse communities in Bradford. As James Lauder Assistant Vice Principal Dixons Trinity Academy walks across a sports hall towards Maverick, she comments that the best way is to use people young people already engaged with including the new COVID Ambassadors. Outside Dixons Trinity Academy stands Kodi changes to Sofia, Numan and PC Ali walking through the school for a meeting with Maverick, Trisha and Anjali. As the two groups come together details are provided with regards what is being done at the academy to monitor the mental health of students and how and what ideas have been brought together. Still in the sports hall James Lauder talks about having to partner with other organisation to make sure services are joining up for young people and their families. Returning to Marium, as she speaks with Sofia, she talks in voiceover about her relationship with God and how she believes the prays said for her in hospital were answered. Wearing a crucifix Jorge reads a pray on his telephone and becomes emotional when talking about its meaning. He stands with a small girl holding a lamb at an outdoor event. In voiceover he talks emotionally about the closures of places of worship during the pandemic and why he doesn’t understand the policy. He also talks about finding time for God during lockdown and believing He is always around. Pam Kershaw arrives and speaks with Jorge before stating that when you authentically allow young people to work out who they are, allow them to thrive around positive people and a culture that allows them to be their authentic self the true them will emerge. Jorge ends by talking about feeling pressure to act like a man and the need to hide behind masks. As a group of young Sikh men stand outside the Ramgarhia Gurdwara temple before heading inside. As one of them removes his shoes in the main temple Sofia watches as a he prays in front of the elevated platform known as takht behind which stands an older man. In voiceover Sofia talks about how for some young people faith became important during the pandemic for comfort and resilience. Surrounded by Siki iconography, Jassa works on a laptop and talks about how his faith has helped him with his music. Over related images he draws parallels between a major fire which took place in the Amazon, the COVID pandemic and the Black Live Matter protests linking them to breathing. In the temple he sits on the floor meditating and talking in voiceover about the two things he meditates over; death and breath. Getting out his phone Jassa shows the Sofia and Numan images of him from 2020, they see how much he has changed. As he continues to sit and meditate he talks in voiceover about how his connection to his culture and religion has become heightened since the pandemic. After providing details on his own struggles with anxiety and depression and how this led him to find his faith, he goes for a walk-through Bradford with both Sofi and Numan explaining that the better you can take care of yourself, the better you can take care of your communities. As he sweeps the floor of his barber shop Hasnain talks about the importance of his work and to see how far he has come since COVID. Sitting in one of his barber chairs over a montage of his clippers and scissors Hasnain talks about opening the saloon to allow people talk about their problems. He hopes when his customers leave, they will feel both fresh on the head and fresh in the heart. As the film draws to a close all those featured in the film provides their final thoughts reiterating many of the points they had raised and providing details on what they believe needs to be done all intercuts with a montage of interacting with each other or with Sofia and Numan. As Marium talks about her involvement in the youth IAG, a youth advisory group for West Yorkshire Police, she is joined by both Numan and PC Ali during one of said session. She explains why this is important to her as it gives her a voice and influence within the police force. A final montage featuring the faces of many of those who have contributed to this film as well as aerials over the city. Title: Khidmat Centres. Serving the Community. Equality Diversity Respect. In Partnership with City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council Thanks to all partners involved West Yorkshire Police, Dixon Trinity Academy, University of Bradford, Millside Centre: Improving Lives, Rooted In Special mention for Bradford City Football Club, Bradford City Community Foundation, Bradford College Safeguarding and Well-Being Team, Ramgarhia Gurdwara Credit: Directed and Edited by Pishdaad Modaressi Chahardehi Produced by Dr Sofia Buncy MBE, DL Video Consultants Ishtiaq Ahmed and Rashad Bokhari Camera Operators Kimi and Keyhan Modaressi Chahardehi Dubbing Mixer Marcus Anuzis Assistant Editors Jalaal Dabrowski, Richard Mclachlan and Alessandro Zebic Title: Deepest gratitude to the young people for bravely sharing their voices and stories. Jorge, Harry, Kodi, Trisha, Maverick, Marium, Hasnain, Numan, Anjali, Umaimah, Matthew and Jassa If you have been impacted by any of the issues raised in this film, help is available from the following special agencies: Healthy Minds. www. Healthyminds.services Need to talk? Call 08001 884 884 Thinking about suicide? Call 0800 952 1181 Samaritans. www.samaritans.org Whatever you’re going through, a Samaritan will face it with you. We’re here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year End title: Call 116 123 for free. If you need urgent help, call 999