Never Give In: How Gaming Supports Young People’s Mental Health in Wales
2022
Never Give In: How Gaming Supports Young People’s Mental Health in Wales
The impacts of gaming on children and young people have been massively controversial over the years. Many concerns associated with video gaming include having poor vision, decreased motivation, shorter attention spans and increased violent tendencies. Additional pressures of staying safe online also contribute to adults' often negative connotations of video gaming. This calls to question why so many young people spend time gaming.
The Never Give In campaign sought to share the effects that young people believe gaming has on their mental health. The campaign was co-designed with 21 young people aged 11 to 24 from Cardiff that were each commissioned £200 to create a piece of art about the effects that gaming has on their mental health. This money was funded with support from Cardiff Youth Service and Cardiff Council.
Interestingly, all 21 young people were extremely positive about the effects of gaming on their mental health and emotional well-being. For many artists, gaming was key to making new friends and maintaining existing friendships. Some young people expressed how it was vital when socialising during the pandemic throughout the various lockdowns. Others shared how gaming developed their social skills, built confidence, and fostered creativity. Gaming has also provided a safe space to explore identity, as well as being a place to escape reality.
n March 2022, Never Give In was published in a digital campaign on TheSprout, an online information and blogging site for and by young people in Cardiff. Each quarter, TheSprout works closely with young people to produce a two-week-long campaign about things that matter to them. Never Give In featured exclusive interviews with each of the young artists, including the impacts they felt gaming had on their mental health and more information about the inspiration and meaning of their art.
ProMo-Cymru, the non-profit organisation that manages TheSprout, supported each young person throughout the process of the commission, from filling in the application and forming the initial art idea, all the way to being interviewed and exhibiting the finished product. As some of the young people involved in the project were young and had varying needs, ProMo-Cymru staff ensured that they had open communication with the parents and carers of the young people so that everyone felt supported and able to participate in the campaign.
The campaign was unveiled at an exhibition event held at the Good Game Café in Cardiff for all young people involved and their families on Saturday 19th March 2022. As the lead-up to the exhibition was predominantly conducted online, the event allowed all the young people and their families to meet each other and celebrate their finished masterpieces. Young people were able to game with each other and even take on SlayerJohn, a pro-gamer and CEO of eSports Wales. The event was also attended by professionals who work to support young people’s mental health, such as Cardiff Youth Service and Meic, the information, advice, and advocacy helpline for young people in Wales.
Young people and their families alike spoke highly of participation in the campaign, with one parent even sharing that they now understand why their son loves to game so much. The campaign raised awareness of the benefits of gaming in supporting young people’s emotional well-being and mental health.
To read more about the campaign and see the fantastic art created by young people, visit the Never Give In campaign blog, or for more info about the exhibition, visit the #PositiveMentalGaming Exhibition blog.
Author Halyna Soltys, Content Writer and Producer at ProMo-Cymru
