How I would like to be - Show me the moon and The Loop

Italy

A small revolution beyond bars, the power of culture and beauty transforms space and time

The juvenile prison system in Italy needs to work on the inmate's background culture and post-prison stigmatization, redefining the purpose of detention centers as places of care through a new model of education. During the Summer School we used the transformative role of play by co-designing the serious games "Show me the Moon" (an interactive and engaging story) and "The Loop" (an Escape Room).

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Shortlisted

Overview

HundrED shortlisted this innovation

HundrED has shortlisted this innovation to one of its innovation collections. The information on this page has been checked by HundrED.

Web presence

2022

Established

1.5K

Children/users

1

Countries

Target group

Other

Updated

August 2023

We hope to inspire positive change in the way young people in detention centers envision their future selves. We aim to equip teenagers living in peripheral and crime-prone situations with the essential tools to navigate their challenges effectively. Furthermore, we seek to foster empathy among them towards individuals who inadvertently reinforce stereotypes and discrimination.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

Imprisonment does not facilitate reintegration, but rather promotes segregation and contact with delinquency, increasing the conflict between young inmates and the outside world. The project aims to transform detention centers into places of care through language and landscape changes by working on stigmatization, cultural context, and on the relationship between inside and outside the prison.

How does your innovation work in practice?

The serious games "Show me the moon" and "The Loop"" are co-designed with inmates:
- "Show me the moon: The game is a tool of empathization towards those who find themselves in a situation of detention and social marginality by emerging the relational, material and psychological difficulties they face.
An interactive story that allows you to take part in the story, the events and the emotional states of a boy who is in a juvenile prison. The game stimulates to make choices that, in some way, influence the life of the characters in a relationship of care and friendship, in particular, by acting on parameters such as trust, risk, emotion
- The Escape Room "The Loop" uses narratives, role-playing, and challenges to explore themes and reflect on their own identities and condition. The prisoners are the protagonists, and their situation is represented through metaphors and symbols. The challenges resemble real-life situations faced by youth in detention.

How has it been spreading?

We have developed a website for the "Show me the Moon" game, which outlines its objectives, mechanics, and provides the opportunity to try it out (fammivederelaluna.mediterraneocomune.it, in case of any viewing issues, please note that "Show Me the Moon" should be accessible online soon). Both "Show Me the Moon" and "The Loop" have garnered significant attention, being prominently featured at various research events and discussions on a national scale. This widespread exposure has helped these games reach a larger audience and contribute to meaningful conversations about their impact and significance. In order to further propagate the core themes of the project, we organized a workshop that aimed to address the project's key themes and allowed youths to experience the game firsthand.

If I want to try it, what should I do?

If you want to try "Show me the mon" you can use the following link: https://landbot.pro/v3/H-1436475-PHSKNXIGTKNI73ZY/index.html. For more information about the Escape Room "The Loop", you can contact Anna Baldassarre (anna.baldassarre87@gmail.com) and Claudia Zampella (claudia.zampella@gmail.com)

Implementation steps

REPLICATE - Show me the moon workshop

Interactive story "Show me the moon" - prepare for a 2 hours workshop where students are engaged in trying out the game in a given time individually or in small teams. Prepare the class for a discussion about their choices in the game and if they got stuck, rejected, or conflict. Ask about previous knowledge and experience with jail, and about concepts such as freedom deprivation, making mistakes, privilege, and being an outcast. Educators could collect answers with tools such as Mentimeter.

REPLICATE - Escap Room 'The Loop'

The Escape Room is an offline experience designed for inmates in juvenile prisons. You could set it up by using the agenda and list of material (for now they are just in Italian): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1iC2pFihordMcc8dtiMGLVKCubAUwAksPa9e5MSpMAcw/edit?usp=sharing You need a room and a few materials that can be placed in the space. You could readapt the enigmas according to the objects and furniture already present in the room.

REDESIGN - Design and organize the program

If you wish to redesign the game with a customized approach follow the next instructions: Define and create a team that can collaboratively lead the design of the program, manage activities, and maintain relationships with the police, educators. The first phase involves co-designing activities with inmates, educators, and police within the juvenile center to listen to their needs and ideas. In the second phase, the program is designed based on the insights gained from the co-design process.

Define the game co-design process

During this stage, the team of specialists develops the various design phases of the game and initiates the co-design process within the prison. Emphasizing the importance of sharing values, visions, and goals is crucial to fostering a sense of inclusion among all participants. Equally vital is the practice of attentively listening to the needs of the youth and other stakeholders, enabling necessary adjustments to be implemented for optimal results.

Co-design, develop and validate

The journey entails a dynamic sequence that intertwines different phases, each contributing uniquely to the project's success. The process revolves around the interplay of three crucial components: co-design with the young individuals, expert development stages, and validation. This cooperative approach fosters an environment where ideas and perspectives are exchanged freely. By involving the youth in shaping the game's concepts, mechanics, and features, their inputs becomes part of the product

Test, monitor and evaluate

The significance of testing the games cannot be overstated, as it plays a pivotal role in gauging their effectiveness, pinpointing areas for enhancement, and ensuring their overall success. The testing phase embraces a multi-faceted approach that involves key stakeholders, including designers, engineers, and students. This collaborative effort guarantees a well rounded assessment that takes into account both technical intricacies and user experience.

Test: Playability and Flow Construction

One of the core aspects under examination is the game's playability and the seamless construction of its flow. This involves assessing how easily users can navigate through the game, the smoothness of transitions between different stages, and the overall user engagement. A user-centric perspective is crucial here, as it helps identify any hurdles or disruptions that could impede an enjoyable and immersive gaming experience.

Test: Information Design and Architecture:

Another focal point is the game's information design and architecture. This refers to the clarity and effectiveness with which information is presented to users. A well-structured layout and intuitive information presentation are paramount in ensuring that players can easily comprehend game objectives, rules, and progress indicators. Testing this aspect ensures that users can engage with the game without unnecessary confusion or frustration.

Test: Textual and Visual Language:

The textual and visual elements of the game hold immense influence over its impact and communicative effectiveness. During testing, attention is directed toward assessing how well these elements resonate with the intended audience. This includes evaluating the appropriateness of language choices, the clarity of instructions, and the visual appeal of graphics and animations.