Episode 8 - Discover what we have done so far!

2021 is over! How has the year been for us?

January 2021 marked the start of a busy time for everyone involved in the project. After almost one year of anxiety connected to writing applications, uncertainty caused by coronavirus and eventually cautious optimism, we were finally able to concentrate on implementing our project! Within those 12 months have been marked with smaller and bigger achievements and challenges. Below discover few of them:

1) We got started and settled in as a consortium - just a bit of administration and most importantly agreeing about our cornerstones, which we hold on to. We were still full of energy and motivation, so the YfY knowledges sharing webinars took off to widen our network.

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2) The time of our first transnational meeting came in an instance giving us the challenge of online transformation, though the togetherness was still fun ! We launched preparatory working groups to tackle potential risk and grounded some additional principles while working with youth. We evaluated, ideated, shared and started to reach out…

​3)  As a result, by the beginning of the summer, our first joint output  was launched. Playful insights to game-based practices in 7 countries aims to inspire via sharing 21 case studies around existing initiatives in which games, Game-Based Learning (GBL) or the Game Development Process (GDP) have been used as a empowering tools boosting the competencies of youth as creative, engaged, lifelong learners.

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4) And whoooo-whoooo, more than half year has already passed, so we felt it is high-time to observe our processes and to take a bit of summary holiday as our minds were already busy with crafting future plans and researching around our second intellectual output, which is the EDUplay Digital Training & Online Learning Community. This self-paced MOOC - currently under internal testing - was designed for learners  who would like to reach impact in their communities via utilizing the power that lies within playfulness and games. We had a lot to share….. 

​5)  Time flew by with creative content creation and finally the autumn allowed us to reconnect, this time for real….. at the beginning of November 2021, we finally met face-to-face and embarked on an adventure during the YfY Facilitator Training in Italy, Sermugnano experiencing  the power of informal learning and collaborative creativity, As a result we reflected our process and created approximately 30 rapid game/games ideas and 4 major serious games closely connected to the Sustainable Development Goals. Organizing mobility in the midst of the pandemic was not easy, but all the moments were worth it! 

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6) The training course did not stand only for itself, but to train facilitators,  who will be focused more on bringing GBL and GDP into local communities and Game Development Pilots to test some methodology that later can also be shared with the ones who are interested in game development in the context of youth empowerment. Young people will be invited to work on their ideas to develop serious games that potentially can grow into future small-scale local projects with further support of the  communities and the Erasmus+ Programme.
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Busy year, right?….and we even have a bit more than one to go. Although starting 2022 with one less partner, which is a true loss, but with even more energy to shift our focuses to moving local as we not only believe in games, but also in youth who are the agent of change.