Nia and Bryn’s Story

Zoom with Children and Youth

Well, we’ve learned so much about using technology over the course of Covid-19. Many of us have been using Skype for years, but who had heard of ‘Zoom’? Here in Pwllheli we’ve
now been connecting with our children and young people via technology only.

The first process was to contact the children’s parents by setting up a Whatsapp group and share our intention to continue the work of our clubs. The response was both good and
enthusiastic. With the children, it’s great that parents join in the Zoom session and activities. Some parents say that this is the only time during the week when their children see their friends faces to chat. That is encouraging. It has also been an opportunity for us as leaders to get to know the children in the company of her parents.

In the Zoom Children session, we use the Children Resource Pack which a team of us has been producing weekly since the start of the Lockout. We also send the children a copy through the post so that they can do the various activities that include a Bible story, puzzles, games, craft, recipes, creative prayer and challenges. There is also an opportunity to share photos of what they have done on the Whatsapp group.

During the Session we will discuss what the children have done since we last met and hear if they’ve done the challenge set the week before. We talk about the past week, play simple games, presenting a Bible story and pray together. We also show ‘Powerpoint’ films or slides on zoom.

With the youth, we had to send a letter inviting them to a Zoom meeting and ask them to respond by email. The activities again follow a similar format to the Zoom for children, again with the emphasis on maintaining relationships – all of us. The youth sessions have been an opportunity for our young people to talk about experiences during this time and the process of doing homework at home etc.

The Zoom meetings there-fore have been about keeping contacts and building relationships during this lockdown period.