4 | COVID-19 concerns raised by children and young people The types of work challenges experienced by young people as a result of COVID-19 included changes to the nature of work, for example being moved to different tasks or workplaces, and abuse from customers, especially when working in frontline service industries. Young people talked about work being more stressful in the time of COVID-19, in particular young people working as nurses, hospital workers, teachers, disability carers, customer service (such as supermarkets and hairdressers), Centrelink, eldercare and childcare. For some, the stress involved an increase in workload, which was adding to other stressors in their lives. Young people working in information technology, disability support, nursing and supermarkets or retail were being asked to do extra shifts. Frontline workers, in particular young people working in supermarkets, mentioned that they were abused by customers. A number of young people mentioned that the nature of the work meant that they were scared of catching the virus themselves, for example in childcare, teaching, supermarkets and working with the elderly, and were considering leaving the job as a result. Some young people spoke about the difficulties of working from home if there were already tensions between family members, or if all the family members were home. A few young people felt less motivated to do their work at home. On the other hand, several young people mentioned that working from home had been a positive experience. 34 Case studies: Work challenges ‘Claudia’, aged 17, rang Kids Helpline to say that she is stressed about coronavirus and the situation of the world. It is making her anxious. She is also finding it stressful working at her casual job at the supermarket because she has been getting a lot of abuse from customers for the store not being stocked with supplies such as pasta, canned food, toilet paper etc. She has also been asked to do extra shifts and doesn’t know if she wants to do that since she is studying online as well. She said her mother has a compromised immune system so she has been asked to stay in one part of the house, and she is feeling isolated and sad. ‘Najib’, aged 20, contacted Kids Helpline to talk about his fears of contracting coronavirus through his workplace. He works as a trolley retriever at a local supermarket and is concerned that he may catch the virus from the handles. He has asthma and is worried that this makes him more susceptible to catching it. ‘Finn’, aged 22, rang Kids Helpline to say that he feels like he is wasting his life in his job in the advertising industry. He said that he does not find the work fulfilling but at least he got to make some friends at his workplace. But now he is working from home due to COVID-19, so the only thing that made the work worthwhile has been taken away. ‘Tia’, aged 24, spoke to Kids Helpline regarding her concerns about going back to teach at the school. Although she is looking forward to seeing people and she loves her work, she is extremely anxious and panicking about the lack of social distancing measures for students and teachers. She is scared of ending up in hospital.