Welcome to get acquainted with the game challenges developed by the Finnish CONNEXT for inclusion project!
The background thinking of the international CONNEXT project to games as well as its discoveries and practical examples have been thoroughly documented in the handbook Games – seriously!? Serious games as a tool for empowerment (Theseus). Some games mentioned in the handbook are presented more in detail in this online publication.
The aim of CONNEXT Finland is to promote game-based empowerment and learning among professionals, who work with youngsters, such as teachers, school counsellors and youth workers. You are most welcome to start using the game contents as they are. You can also modify them to suit your purposes better.
CONNEXT games in practice
In CONNEXT, game challenges have been usually used on existing digital platforms, such as SUG-platform, Seppo.io and Action Track (in Finnish). They make use of a GPS locator allowing game challenges to be placed on a map. Participants need a mobile device (phone or tablet). However, many of the challenges can be modified to offline situations as well.
In this online publication each game is described shortly.
Get acquainted with individual game challenges on the following platforms:
| Platform | Using this platform allows you to |
|---|---|
| ThingLink document | Get acquainted with game challenges in a visual environment, but doesn’t enable interactive playing, free of charge |
| Word document | Get acquainted with the instructions of game challenges and copy them for your own purposes online or offline, free of charge |
| Seppo.io game library | Play games as they are or modify them, requires a licence |
Available game challenges
Aim: Help newcomers to orientate themselves and feel more at home in their new home city. It allows participants to expand their territory, gradually lowering their threshold to get engaged in different activities around the city.
Application: The ideas can be applied to other cities and target groups when introducing a new environment or an activity.
Number of game challenges: 8
Developer: Loisto Settlement/Boys’ House
Game materials
- #stadistartti on ThingLink
- Download #stadistartti as a Word document.
- Search for Connext in the seppo.io game library to find #stadistartti and other games published by CONNEXT for inclusion.
Aim: Encourage youth to observe factors in their everyday environment, which may affect mental health, provide support to identify one’s own resources and strengthen self-esteem and wellbeing.
Application: The ideas can be applied to support mental wellbeing of people in diverse life situations.
Number of game challenges: 22
Developer: Metropolia University of Applied Sciences and Helsinki YMCA, based on material developed by Mieli ry and Mental Health Finland
Game materials
- House of Resources on ThingLink
- Download House of Resources as a Word document.
- Search for Connext in the seppo.io game library to find House of Resources and other games published by CONNEXT for inclusion.
Aim: Present CONNEXT for inclusion project, its partners and their diverse work to professionals working with migrant groups in a playful way. It is not a traditional game, but a set of game challenges presenting different kinds of challenges. CONNEXT Diamonds was first played in CONNEXT Gamified Diamonds Seminar in August 2020 and has since then been modified for independent use.
Application: The ideas can be applied to introducing other projects, organisations or activities to diverse target groups.
Number of game challenges: 11
Developer: Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, based on game challenges of partners in Belgium, Finland and Sweden
Game materials
- CONNEXT Diamonds on ThingLink
- Download House of Resources as a Word document.
- Search for Connext in the seppo.io game library to find CONNEXT Diamonds and other games published by CONNEXT for inclusion.
Aim: Support social services students to orientate to their studies at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences.
Application: The ideas can be applied to any other student group in the beginning of their studies.
Number of challenges: 10
Developer: Leigh Anne Rauhala/Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Game materials
- Welcome to your new studies on ThingLink
- Download Welcome to your new studies as a Word document.
- Search for Connext in the seppo.io game library to find Welcome to your studies and other games published by CONNEXT for inclusion.
CONNEXT for inclusion is a transnational project. In this web publication examples from CONNEXT Finland can be found, while some examples from CONNEXT Belgium and CONNEXT Sweden are documented on the gameWise website.
You can look for information e.g. on the following:
- Trust in education. The game aims at strengthening the trust towards the school system particularly among youngsters from migrant groups.
- #Work Sweden. This game is designed for newcomers and migrants, who would like to learn more about the local labour markets and strengthen their skills related with employment.
- Lockdown Minds™. The game is tailored to young people in isolation to support them in psychologically demanding times.
CONNEXT Finland has also published game challenge packages in the following areas:
- counselling and orientation game challenges for educational institutions
- game challenges promoting physical exercises and sports
- game challenges promoting wellbeing and life management.
The Finnish game packages can be found in the web publication Ideoita pelillisyyteen hurahtaneille.
These games challenges have been developed together with a large group of professionals. Warm thank you for collaboration!
In Finland the following CONNEXT partners have made a significant contribution: Sports Federation of Southern Finland ESLU, Helsinki YMCA, Omnia Joint Authority of Education in Espoo Region and Stadin ammattiopisto – Stadin Brygga, as well as Mieli ry, Mental Health Finland and Loisto Setlementti organisations Boys’ House and Girls’ House.
GAMES – SERIOUSLY!? CONNEXT GAME CHALLENGES
© Metropolia University of Applied Sciences & authors 2021
Publisher: Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Editing: Tiina Lehto-Lundén & Mai Salmenkangas, CONNEXT for inclusion
Implementation:
Riikka Wallin (website, accessibility)
Tiina Veijola (ThinkLink, Word documents)
Mai Salmenkangas & Tiina Lehtonen-Lundén (games on Seppo.io)
Header picture: Riikka Käkelä-Rantalainen
Publications of Metropolia UAS
OIVA-series 48
Helsinki 2021
ISBN 978-952-328-325-1
ISSN 2490-2055
This online publication is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.
The material Games – seriously!? CONNEXT game challenges has been developed as part of Finnish sub project of CONNEXT for inclusion (European Social Fund 2018–2021). The project is aimed at youngsters from migrant communities, their parents and professionals working with youngsters. The project develops tools for game-based learning and empowerment as well as for career counselling and sports inspired pedagogy. The eventual aim is to support youngsters to find a suitable path to studies and to commit to their educational choice.