This ‘Youth’ edition of Fingerpost has been guest edited by Anna McAree, student journalist and cross-community group REACH Across alumna.

This edition contains a special recognition to Derry-based organisation REACH Across, which has helped shape the lives of young people growing up in Derry for the past 25 years.

Our 3 articles from REACH Across contributors focus on how their lives have been recently impacted; from Maria by cross community relations within REACH Across, from Jenna on how COVID-19 has taken away the social element of young people, and from Dylan describing life in online education.

Beyond our bloc of REACH Across contributions, it became clear that when our contributors were faced with the quest on “what is important to you as a young person”, there was no set answer.

Eisa Morgan beautifully illustrates the freedom that creativity brings to young people and how we are often too restricted in pursuing our dreams and that art provides an escape from this.

This linked in well to the poem by Molly Duffy in ‘Paint’. The creativity of our generation has not been dulled by the challenges we face.

Bonnie Quigley sharply outlines the challenges our generation faces, which have been exasperated in the COVID-19 pandemic. However, she correctly critiques that many of these issues such as the inability to own a home, existed long before these unprecedented times.

Niamh McLaughlin is passionate in her plight for university students, who have faced a year of economic and educational distress, have been blamed unfairly for the rise in COVID cases, and who are still expected to be performing to ‘normal’ standards.

Aodhán Roberts provides a TED-talk style motivational piece on self-doubt and overcoming limitations which can be understood by anyone’s life circumstances.

Our regular contributor, Georgia O’Kane, provides a concise insight into the challenges set out for our generation by past generations, and new challenges we must face.

Editor Anna McAree adds “I would like to thank our contributors for their inspiring and creative pieces. I was blown away by the emotive language used and how their pieces provided an insight into the personal impacts of recent challenges this generation is facing.

These pieces are incredibly insightful into how often what matters to young people is not one particular thing, but rather upholding a certain way of living and expressing themselves. It is hope for the future, it is economic security, it is the ability to be creative. It is being able to make their lives the best they can be.”