As we move towards our independent study period, I want to look back at the steps that I have taken that shaped my current project to help me sharpen my focus for the upcoming independent study period. As I revisited my notes of an interview I did previously, I felt this was a good moment to do a quick recap as this particular interview played a part in shaping what my current project is focusing on.
Back in April, when I was still exploring the theme of my project, I was looking into how games could serve as therapeutic tools. his lead me to reach out to Alex, the founder of Association of Neurodivergence in Video Games (ANVG), an organization based in the UK that hosts gaming sessions with the aid of support workers, for neurodivergent individuals who requires assistance.
In this interview, Alex shared with me how these gaming sessions have been helpful for participants. These sessions are not only just fun and engaging, but also enabled the participants to practice important life skills such as planning, teamwork, and situational awareness. Participants were able to demonstrate their ability to plan approaches, navigate game maps, and engage socially with peers and support workers, all through the medium of gaming. Alex emphasized that these skills are not just game-specific, they are transferable to real life, showcasing the immense potential of gaming as a therapeutic tool.
This conversation was really important, and I’m writing this recap to remind myself again, especially as I set my focus towards a distinct group: gamers who are socially shy in real-life settings but find comfort and safe space in online games. My current project aims to bridge the gap between online comfort and offline social challenges. The goal is to nudge people towards an intermediary safe space where these gamers can gradually practice and improve their face-to-face social skills.
Evidence
The full recording and transcript can be accessed here. Please note that this content is hosted on UAL OneDrive and requires you to be logged into your UAL student or staff account for access. The video is restricted to internal use and is available exclusively for academic purposes.