Dave McNichol is chief executive of Warrington Youth Club and writes a regular column

THIS month is stress awareness month and as we move towards a loosening of Covid restrictions many people are talking about returning to ‘normal’.

Over the past month schools, colleges and many universities have returned to face-to-face learning.

While for many children and young people this is a move in the right direction with the more traditional classroom-based learning being a more familiar and conducive learning environment than learning at home.

However, the past year has created a situation in which many people have found themselves becoming more anxious with feelings of social isolation and concern for their own safety and that of their family members.

While the restrictions are being lifted and we can return to a lifestyle similar to the pre Covid world, there are likely to be people across our communities who struggle emotionally to return to the workplace or readjust to society.

For many children and young people this transition has been turbulent, especially those who have had long periods of home schooling. There has been a 70 per cent increase in the number of requests for support we have received from young people who are struggling with the reintegration to school or college and the idea of being around large groups of other people is causing them concern.

One of the focus of our work with children and young people over the past few years has been mindfulness sessions, providing a space for relaxation, reflection and a calmness which in modern day life is often difficult to find.

We encourage all the members of Warrington Youth Club to be active and have done throughout the lockdown with online work out sessions that boost endorphins and can lead to people feeling more positive.

Warrington Youth Zone is due to open in spring 2022, the programme on offer for children and young people will provide a wide range of activities based on arts, sports, music and media and health and wellbeing. Mindfulness will continue to be a key feature in the programme for children and young people as we encourage them to build their emotional resilience through their teenage years.

We are promoting Stress Awareness Month to all the members of Warrington Youth Club to encourage them to consider the way that others may be feeling as we move out of the lockdown.

For more information, on Warrington Youth Zone please visit our website /warringtonyouthzone.org/