'THE GAME CHANGER', Creating Science-based Online Games and Activities for Maximizing the Long Run Well-Being of People in Transition Situation Through Skills Development
Transforming trends grow both globally and at European level. Change affects everyone, it can be disruptive and difficult for individuals to transition through, particularly if a change crosses international borders, cultures and languages.
Disadvantaged and at-risk groups frequently are those facing big life changes, for whom successful transition is a basic requirement for a decent participation in life and the achievement of economic and personal well-being: from school to work, unemployment to employment and also through industrial/ economic change, by migration, from home to independent living from institution (hospital, care home, prison, military and security forces) to civilian life, to a new language territory and all those who feel that they need to change but not knowing how yet: people, especially young people, facing inequality, bullying, violence or discrimination.
The project's key objective is to support, develop and enable individuals to make/respond to transitions by maximizing their potential through improvement of their skills and well-being in a long time period with the support of 'social operators' - trainers, coaches, psychologist, social workers, mentors, counselors and educators - in an web-based community, and parallel harmonizing the standards of skills of 'social operators' by accreditation. Achieving this objective will in turn, improve employability and therefore reduce unemployment, promote mobility, equality and diversity, integration and respect for human rights.
The ''Game Changer Project' seeks to
- apply the science of self-efficacy, personal change, planning, action and resilience (self regulatory skills),
-develop a science-based gamified online training site for peer learning and self-learning,
- create an online training program - with interactive games and activities for trainees (people in transition),
- develop an educational platform and an online interactive material for training social operators (trainers)
- develop the skills of individuals who are in the process of a transition,
- develop an accreditation tool for social operators,
- include installation within organisations as well as providing individual guidance,
- incorporate curriculum design and skill-learning methodologies used for learning at work and at home,
- include self-assessment measures for compliance with design,
- use behavioural measures to assess skills & competencies,
- create a series of webinars,
- organise local workshops, seminars, training sessions,
- a justainable web -based community for all stakeholders on an online community tool for broader societal engagement,
- pilot the training materials with trainers + trainees in each partner country,
- realise transnational meetings for stronger cooperation and exchange of ideas.
The project participants
The partnership consists of six partner organisations with different geographical and socioeconomic background, resulting in very different educational needs and experiences. All partner countries are affected by current human and economic crisis, therefore new educational theories, practices and methods are demanded for our organisations. Our partners are experts in psychology, counseling people with disabilities, teaching adults, accreditation, assessment, mentoring young people with learning difficulties, educational technology and design development and EU project implementation, minority education, curriculum design.
Methodology
We will identify well-being, target groups, relevant skills needed for managing change and improving well-being and the groups of social operators. We will develop online training for people in transition with the support of social operators, parallel with an accreditation tool for trainers. The Game Changer training sites will be tested and finalised with trainees and trainers through trials, and will be open resources for all. For enhancing the training, webinars will be also created.
Impact
The game changer project will provide an opportunity to make a genuine impact to the lives of individuals and communities.
Participants will be helped to improve well-being, and employability, gain confidence, make plans, improve relationships, conquer negative thoughts, handle conflicts, adapt easier to change and cope with economic, personal, social, cultural difficulties. As a result, participants will have a a better position in society and improved quality of life.
However this opportunity also creates a unique set of training tools in this specific area, which does not currently exist, that have the potential to have a much wider impact across Europe. Delivering the game changer project could improve employability, promote mobility, promote equality and diversity and promote integration.