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Game Changers is a competition for young people who want to change the world and believe games are a way to do this.
Young people all over Ireland submit games based on one or more of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Games can be a board game, card game or video game, and submitted in one of three categories: Primary, Post Primary, or Youth.
For the 2021/22 academic year, Game Changers will be offered as both an online and face to face programme, involving three key steps. See the Game Changers 2022 section below for more information about how register for the programme.
For the academic year 2021/22, Game changers will be offered as both an online and face to face programme. There are three main steps to the programme.
Step One – CPD session for educators focusing on Games Based Learning and the Sustainable Development Goals
Step Two – Online or face to face school-based workshop for students focusing on games creation
Step Three – Testing of game concepts with peers for feedback
Once all three steps are completed, young people enter their games into the 2022 competition, closing date 8th April 2022.
To register for Game Changers 2022, please complete a registration form. For general queries on Game Changers 2022 please contact [email protected]
Register HereIn 2021 we reverted to a more familiar format of the programme, including CPD for educators, and online workshops to help the young people with designing their games. The year continued to be affected by Covid-19, however, schools and youth groups came up with innovative ways to work together to complete their games and enter them into our competition. In 2021, we were again looking for understanding, empathy, innovation, and effort, as well as ensuring the games demonstrated a clear link to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We had three winning games this year, from both formal and non-formal education settings.
Overall winner – Holy Child Killiney, Co. Dublin with ‘The Sustain Game’
Runner up – Sí Goaith Guides (Barna) with their game ‘Eco-Quality-Garden’
Runner up – Irish Girl Guides with their game ‘The Twisted Game of SDG 12’
Students from Holy Child School, Killiney receiving their certificates from Stephen Farley for winning Trócaire Game Changers 2021. Picture Credit: Holy Child School, Killiney.
Due to Covid-19, Game Changers 2020 was adapted to become a Home Challenge Competition. However, this did not stop the resourcefulness, ingenuity, and creativity of all the entries. Our Home Challenge saw original board games, card games and digital games submitted from young people of all ages, from all over Ireland.
The games explored the Sustainable Development Goals, including games focusing on climate action, peace and justice, good health and wellbeing and responsible consumption.
Each game was assessed by a judging panel on the following criteria: Understanding, Empathy, Innovation and Effort. The judges were impressed by the standard of knowledge, understanding and gameplay. We had five winning games from both the senior and junior categories, including individual and team entries.
The winners were:
Over 80 games were entered into the inaugural Game Changers competition in 2019. Board games, card games and online games were submitted from primary, post-primary and youth groups. These games explored themes such as human rights, the plight of refugees and the challenges of delivering aid to countries affected by poverty.
Each game was assessed by the judging panel on the following criteria: understanding, empathy, innovation and effort. Twenty-two games were shortlisted and showcased at the competition final, which took place in DCU on the 15th May 2019.
These 22 groups of young people and their teachers enjoyed a hugely energetic and colourful event. The judges were wowed by the standard of gameplay on show but the final say on who took home the title went to the entrants themselves. Each group voted for their favourite game. The winning game was announced as “Hunt for Human Rights”, a fantastic game created by Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan. Their prize was to present their game at the International Educational Games Competition in Denmark.
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