Keeping Teens Engaged During COVID-19
Prince George's County Memorial Library System
Innovation Synopsis
COVID-19 closures gave the perfect opportunity to revamp the offerings for teens at PGCMLS. With a goal to reach and engage teens, we created communities through social media, developed programs to keep teens informed and provided opportunities for teens to effect change in their communities.
Challenge/Opportunity
When clubs, sports and other extracurricular activities halted due to COVID-19, many teens’ lives were drastically changed. Teens were left with an abundance of free time and minimal social interaction causing them to look for connections and ways to be involved. The majority of our teens were looking for service learning hours for school, but some teens were just looking for acceptance and approval. With this knowledge, the teen services team focused on the following areas: LGBTQ+ teens, volunteerism and teen engagement.
Key Elements of Innovation
When thinking of ways to engage with teens, we realized we needed to meet them where they were. We needed to create a platform that promoted our services and programs while also building a community where teens could engage with staff and other teens, develop virtual volunteer opportunities for teens to earn their service hours for school, and provide a safe and accepting space for LGBTQ+ teens.
Achieved Outcomes
To meet our focus area needs, we created the following: Instagram account to promote teen services and highlight teen voices; Discord server for teens to engage with staff and other teens; Virtual Teen Action Group focusing on social justice, arts and community outreach; Up and Out with PGCMLS, a program highlighting community resources, programs and initiatives for LGBTQ+ individuals. By creating these networks, we engaged with our teens while making new connections for future programs and service offerings.
