Fumble Talks: How has the pandemic affected your sense of control?

Phoebe McIndoe and Lucy Whitehouse agency, COVID19, pandemic

Young people in the UK explain the loss of agency and lack of control caused by pandemic, and how they’re coping

This content was originally part of our Pandemic support series: to address the chaos and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to support young people with navigating this difficult time.

Although many of us may feel we’re now in a post-pandemic era, this content will still be relevant to lots of people. There are still many people who rely on communicating, building relationships and accessing support online, whether they continue to shield from COVID-19, have long Covid, or have any other chronic illness that means they have to limit in-person social contact. There are still lots of reasons why we may need some extra support right now, and no one should feel excluded from society or unable to access the support they need.

In this Fumble Talks episode, we’re talking about agency: our ability to do things in the world, and achieve results. Agency and sense of control has been massively impacted this year due to the pandemic, as the plans we held for our future have been interrupted, postponed or simply thrown off the agenda altogether.

In this episode we ask, how have you coped, or perhaps not coped, with this loss of control? Here, young people from across the UK reflect on their personal pandemic journeys. Listen now.

Listen to Fumble Talks: Your agency (pandemic special)

Fumble Talks is produced by Phoebe McIndoe with music by Phoebe. We’d like to give thanks to all our wonderful volunteers for featuring in this episode, especially the young people at Firth Park Academy, Sheffield, and Epsom College, Surrey.

Discover Fumble’s pandemic support series

The pandemic has had a huge impact on all of our lives, and we’ve all struggled to adapt to the changes that continue to happen all around us.

Our pandemic support series explores young people’s experiences of COVID-19, and helps you start to make sense of the chaotic and uncertain time we’re living in. Discover the full series here.