Study finds more children in the West Midlands aren't socialising
It's estimated that 49 percent of young people spend their free time alone in their bedrooms, after pandemic has shattered social skills.
Last updated 14th Nov 2022
A major new study by Wolverhampton youth group, The Way Youth Zone, has found that young people are retreating to their bedrooms more than before the pandemic.
They've labelled it 'Generation Isolation' with 49 percent spending their free time in their rooms, and 18 percent actually spending it alone.
Now, the group are calling for more recognition of youth centres to give young people opportunities to socialise, make friends and build the valuable life skills that come with real world interaction.
The study also showed how 78 percent of young people in the West Midlands that currently attend a youth centre say it has made a positive difference on their lives.
Commenting on the findings, Jackie Redding, Chief Executive of The Way Youth Zone in Wolverhampton, said: “Our young people have experienced a disruption to their lives unlike anything before.
"The lack of social interaction and the isolation during the pandemic have prevented young people from building confidence and much-needed resilience through communication with others their age.
The Way Youth Zone is an essential part of our community, now more than ever, giving young people somewhere warm and safe to go where they will feel included, they will be supported, and they will be heard.”
OnSide Chief Executive Kathryn Morley said: “Too many young people are living isolated lives, increasingly withdrawing into their bedrooms without the support from trusted adults. While online communication is important and has some benefits, its dominance means young people are missing out on the face-to-face interactions that build social skills, confidence, self-esteem, resilience and empathy.
"We cannot watch an entire generation of young people sleepwalking into social isolation and not develop the qualities that are necessary for mental wellbeing and that lay the foundations for them to thrive into adulthood.
"With pupils spending 85% of their lives outside of school, the real world has to be as enticing as the virtual one. Youth centres like The Way are key to that, helping young people develop and build rich social lives, in safe spaces designed to support them.”
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