Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Facilitating social connections

• Establishing the value of virtual social connections: individual comfort levels with virtual spaces varied, with some participants preferring in-person interactions.
• Appreciating availability of connections during social distancing: youth welcomed the social connections and sense of ‘routine’ that came from virtual program participation during the pandemic.
• Evolving perspectives on relationship-building: youth became more aware of the importance of prioritizing social connections.
• Facilitating long-term social connections: virtual platforms helped youth maintain or strengthen social connections made within and outside of programs.

Accessibility of virtual programs

• Removing physical barriers: virtual programming improved access to programs, eliminating constraints such as transportation, time-of-day, and coordinating care.
• Virtual social engagement: online tools allowed for customized participation based on individual wants and abilities (e.g., audio-only).
• Encountering new electronic barriers: technology presented new temporary challenges (e.g., connectivity issues), as well as more persistent barriers for youth with communication and processing differences (e.g., inability to lip read when cameras were off).

Recommendations

• Hybrid formats: all participants believed that programs should include both virtual and in-person options.
• Collaborative design: programs should be co-designed with participants, with built in opportunities for choice (e.g., polls for decision-making).
• Program structure: programs should be longer, include a wider range of activities, and do more to include underserved communities.