Listen to the 13-minute-long episode by searching Talk Richmond on your podcast app or by visiting the Council’s website to hear an honest account of what it feels like to be a teenager living through the Coronavirus pandemic and the help that is available locally through services such as Off the Record Twickenham.

The episode’s guests are Deborah Kerpner, Counsellor and Manager at Off the Record Twickenham, a charity providing young people with drop-in counselling information and sexual health services, and Lydia, a 14-year-old student at a local school and Vice Chair of the Kingston and Richmond Youth Council.

Lydia shares her thoughts and feelings on having to stop going to school when lockdown hit and her concerns for the future. Deborah explains the value of Off the Record’s services, including what to do as a parent or carer if you are concerned for a young person in your life.

Find out more about Off the Record Twickenham and for further resources on mental health services.

Cllr Jim Millard, Tenants’ Champion and Host of Talk Richmond, said:

“It’s so important to talk about what young people are going through during the pandemic and it’s great to hear about the service Off the Record Twickenham offers young people who might be struggling or simply in need of a chat. A huge thank you to both guests for joining me on Talk Richmond and speaking so honestly and openly.”

– from a Richmond Council press release - 29 September 2020