Committee for Education Arts Project - Information Pack

‘My Life and Learning in Lockdown’

Download this information pack as a PDF
(4 pages, 487KB)

About the project

The Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Education is looking into how the COVID-19 lockdowns, school closures and restarts have impacted the lives of children and young people here. The Committee is inviting children and young people, through a number of activities, to share their views, opinions and personal reflections, so that the Committee can:

understand the impact of lockdown, school closures and restarts on the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people;
explore with young people how things could be improved, both in the immediate term and in a post-Covid-19 landscape; and
recognise young people for the role they have played in keeping everyone safe.

This activity offers children and young people a different, more creative way to share some personal reflections on their experience of the last year. The Committee will use the responses to produce a short report, which will be published online.

What is the theme?

The theme for the artwork, poem or story is ‘My Life and Learning in Lockdown’.
Some stimulus questions which may be helpful are included below. They are for guidance only and children and young people are encouraged to use their creativity to tell their own personal story.

Who can submit?

The Committee is keen to hear the views of young people of all ages who were in full or part-time education during lockdown.

What mediums can be used?

Young people can give their views to the Committee through a piece of artwork, photograph, poem or short story.
All work should be presented on A4 size paper.
The artwork must be 2 dimensional - don’t stick objects to the paper!
Stories should be no longer than 500 words.

How to submit

Children and young people may send in their work as individuals or a teacher/youth worker may send in submissions on behalf of a class/organisation.
The name and age of the young person should be written on the back of the submission. Their first name and age may be used in the Committee Report or as part of a virtual exhibition. If they do not wish to have their name published, please indicate this on the back of their submission. Please read the Northern Ireland Assembly Privacy Policy.
If you wish the artwork, photograph or a handwritten story or poem to be returned, please include a return address on the back of the submission.
Certificates of participation will be issued to all those who send in a submission. To facilitate this, please include a contact email address on the back of the submission.
Please send submissions by post or email to:
Kate McCullough
Parliament Buildings
Ballymiscaw
Belfast BT4 3XX
Photograph/scan the submission and email to: engagement@niassembly.gov.uk
(if photographing the submission please ensure the artwork is captured in one image and is in focus.)
Please ensure that submissions arrive no later than 5pm Friday 18^th June 2021.

Any Questions?

Please email us at engagement@niassembly.gov.uk

Some questions which may be useful in thinking about the issues:

1. How was lockdown for me?

What was the hardest thing about lockdown?
What did you miss the most during lockdown?
What were you grateful for during lockdown?
How did you keep yourself and others safe during lockdown?
How was home-schooling for you?

Post-primary

What was the best coping or creative activity you found that helped you to look after your emotional wellbeing and mental health during lockdown?

2. How was school restart for me?

What were you looking forward to most when lockdown ended?
What was going back to school like for you?
Do you worry about the future because of Covid-19?
What, if anything, would help ease your worries about the future?
What are your hopes for the future? What are you looking forward to in the future?

Post primary pupils:

Do you have the support you need to fulfil your potential?
What would help you to fulfil your potential?
What one change would you like to see happen to support the emotional well-being and mental health of young people in the future?