Gaming Social Events to Support the Well-being of Young People in Life Transitions

<< Objectives >>Gamer-Con aim to create a supportive and inclusive community for young people aged 18-25, using gaming as a tool to support social connections, enhance mental health, and develop essential life skills. We will reach out to those who feel isolated due to a lack of direction or opportunities, providing them with a platform to engage and socialise. We will also provide youth workers with innovative strategies for 'embedded well-being' to integrate mental health discussions into their practice.<< Implementation >>We will:1. Poll local young people (aged 18 to 25) to assess which games are most popular.2. Plan and host gaming nights one night per week for two months to engage young people in social interactions through gaming.3. Conduct pre- and post-engagement surveys, and exit interviews, to assess the impact of the gaming nights on their well-being.4. Summarise these findings and write a guidebook for youth workers so that they can integrate 'embedded well-being' approaches into their practice.<< Results >>Through Gamer-Con, we expect to develop a supportive community where young people aged 18-25 can build meaningful social connections and improve their mental health through gaming. We anticipate enhanced social well-being and the development of essential soft skills among participants, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. We also expect youth workers to be better support to use innovative strategies for integrating well-being discussions into their practice.