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It started with a realisation: our tools for disability inclusion were rather boring. So, we formulated a challenge: ‘How to make a tool for disability inclusion that is fun and engaging?’ We developed a prototype of a serious game. We got some critical feedback. We improved the game and tested it in Mozambique and Ethiopia. It helped people to understand the barriers that persons with a disability face. And it helped them to make action plans for their own organisations! Now we can role it out!
The Inclusion game helps organisations to promote inclusion of persons with a disability in a fun and engaging way
What problem are you trying to solve?
The WHO estimates that 15% of the population worldwide has some form of impairment.
People with disabilities have less access and are often excluded from services provided by governments, companies and non-profit organisations. People with disabilities have few job opportunities.
Although most countries have a disability law, there are only a few organisations that are taking action to make their services and their workplace inclusive for persons with a disability.
Light for the World has developed tools and methods that support organisations to assess the barriers and to make disability inclusion action plans. However, this does not take away the ignorance and the lack of awareness that people with disabilities are often confronted with.
What is your solution to this problem?
The game tries to solve exactly this problem of ignorance: it increases the understanding and the commitment of the players and brings them in the mood of ‘we can do something ourselves’. The players identify with the story of the game as it is close to their own context. And they identify with the people with disabilities that seek their services or seek employment. They learn about the attitudinal and institutional barriers that persons with disability are confronted with. And they learn what they can do about it, making use of locally available materials and resources.
The game is self-explanatory and can be facilitated by anyone who is interested in the topic. It can also be modified so that are marginalized groups become part of the story.
We have an online platform where people can post their experiences and the solutions they found while playing the game. We aim to develop a community of people who have a heart for disability inclusion.
What is your latest update on your innovation?
We have had four cycles in which we tested and improved the first prototype (which was in a very early phase presented during the Partos Innovation festival in 2017). We have also tested it with 80 persons during a learning session of the Voice fund with facilitators that were rather new to the topic.
We have developed two modules: The Inclusive health module has been delivered in July 2018. It is provided free of charge and licensed as ‘creative commons’.
The Inclusive business module, which is focusing on equal employment, is still in a testing phase. We have received very good but critical feedback from experts on the Inclusive business module. We have improved this module and providing it to local organisations so that they can test it in their own countries.
We have developed a platform where players can post the solutions they have created while they were playing the game.
We have received a different request for new modules, like a game on Inclusive education.
