Schoolchildren who have had their education severely disrupted by Covid have been described as part of a “lost generation”.
But do the kids at the heart of the crisis accept this stigma placed on them by adults?
Politicians, scientists and experts have been deciding what’s right for them over the past 18 months of the pandemic, but their voices have rarely been heard – until now.
Channel 4 has given a voice to the teenagers fighting for their future during unprecedented times.
Sixteen: Class of 21 is a new fly-on-the-wall documentary series that follows Year 11 students at The Link Academy in Dudley, West Midlands, as they turn 16 and prepare to take their GCSEs.
Do you accept the 'lost generation' label? Join the discussion in the comment section
Armed with their own cameras, the teenagers film life behind the school gates and lift the lid on their hopes, dreams and fears for the future.
And while many adults might paint them as victims, these youngsters have voices and they are not afraid to use them.
Here four of the pupils featured in the documentary reveal what they really think about growing up in Britain in 2021.
Callum. Aim: Own a building firm
'I want to run my own business and my ambition is to have people work for me'
The football-mad teen lives with his parents Carla and Adam, and his brothers Kyle and Tyler. They are a tight-knit family who are proud of their Black Country roots. While Callum dreamed of having a professional football career, with the help of his teacher he changed his focus to becoming an apprentice bricklayer.
"We’re getting called the lost generation, but I’m not lost, I know what I want and if anything the pandemic has made me mature quicker. I’ve taken responsibility for myself.
"I feel like it is the wrong label to put on us. We’ve had to work harder than ever this last year and not just us, the teachers too.
I got my results and they were better than I expected, which just shows that hard work does pay off. I don’t want to be sitting in a classroom any more and when school finished I got a job with a builder, I needed a routine.
"I’ve talked him into taking me on as an apprentice. I’m happy about where my future is going. I’m going to run my own business and my dream is to have people working for me.
"Covid has been tough on people my age. I don’t really feel like I’ve had time to be a Year 11 student because I’ve missed that much time in school.
"But we’ve all been in the same situation, kids and adults. We’ve all had to make the best of it, but don’t tell me I’m lost.”
Sade. Aim: Become an accountant
'We're the determined generation as we have to deal with the adults’ screw-ups'
Coming from a single-parent household, Sade says her mum and grandma are her inspiration. They are also the drive behind her desire to become an accountant. She is a girl who has goals and ambitions and is keen to make sure that she earns enough money to look after her mum in the future.
"I didn’t think I would go to university because you leave with so much debt but I want a good job so I think I will go.
"It’s hard being from Dudley, people hear my voice and they think I’m thick. It doesn’t hold me back, though, because I’ve learnt to slow down the way I talk.
"You know when you put on a phone voice? Sometimes you have to talk in a bit of a posh voice, or like you’re from a nice area, because you don’t want to sound like an idiot.
"It won’t be good in a job interview if I was to talk like I normally do. They’re going to be like, ‘We don’t want her’.
"You have to make sure you sound like you’re from a good area for people to want you.
"Adults call us the lost generation but we’re the determined generation because we’re the ones who are having to deal with all their screw-ups.
"I know what I want from my life – a house, a nice car and a loving family – and I’ll get it.”
Aaminah. Aim : Get a degree
'I didn’t think I had a voice, but now I realise I do. I need to speak up more'
Aaminah, who lives with her parents and four siblings, is head girl at The Link Academy. She’s politically and socially aware and likes to use her voice to speak about issues such as racism and social justice. While she hasn’t decided what career path she’s going to take, she knows she wants a university degree.
"It’s a stereotype that all kids my age are not politically engaged, that we’re lazy and just care about going out and having fun.
Yes we go to the same school, we wear the same uniform but no matter how much you try to make us look the same, we’re still our own person.
"I’m interested in politics, a lot of my friends are too, and what’s going on in the world. I have opinions on things, just because I’m 16 doesn’t mean my voice doesn’t matter.
"Before I did this documentary I didn’t think I had a voice, but now I realise I do, I need to speak up about things that matter.
"It’s hard being a young Muslim woman today, racism is still a big problem. I’ve been called a terrorist, I hear the bomber jokes.
"But I laugh it off. Britain is diverse. You see different people of colour, races and ethnicities.
"But I don’t think it’s diverse enough to battle racism. I’ve grown a thick skin, it’s the only way to deal with it as I don’t think it will change soon.”
Grace. Aim: Become an actress
'You watch Love Island and half the girls have their face full of Botox'
The aspiring actress, who lives with her parents Paula and Paul and is the youngest of four siblings, dreams of becoming a household name, but admits she struggles with low self-confidence due to the pressure of social media.
"I’ve got my heart set on being an actress and I’m going to a performing arts school in Birmingham.
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"I’ve been interested in modelling too, but my insecurities have held me back.
"That’s something I will have to overcome. With social media, a lot of young people like me do feel the pressure to feel perfect.
"You watch Love Island and half the girls have their face full of Botox and they’re only 21.
"It really does have a massive impact, you think you’re ugly if you don’t get the big lips and fillers.
"Everybody on social media uses filters now.
"My generation has grown up with social media, but I think what we’re seeing now is a phase. I think girls are starting to like the more natural look.
"I don’t think the Government can do anything to control social media.
"In the Commons they’re all just screaming at each other looking stupid, so I don’t have much faith.
"Us kids have just got to try and remember what we see online isn’t necessarily real.“
