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Escape Game on the Sustainable Development Goals

A project run by Louvain Coopération, UCLouvain and Maison du Développement Durable

Louvain Coopération, UCLouvain and Maison du Développement Durable are launching an Escape Game to raise young people’s awareness of sustainable development issues which will be released in October. At the root of this project, an observation: activities that are usually organised often reach an already sensitized audience. However, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) depends on the awareness and participation of the largest number of citizens. How can we then reach a wider audience of young people? To answer this question, the idea of creating an attractive tool on the theme of the SDGs emerged: namely, an “escape game”, an innovative and playful concept to raise young people’s interest and involvement in becoming actors of the ecological and social transition.

To get a more concrete idea of the concept and the different possible worlds of escape games, the project team tested “Le Cabinet de Maître Hembise” designed by Charlerooms. They also met several designers who helped them better define their scenario and refine their needs to draft the public tender…which was not an easy task but with the help of the Mindchangers’ team, they managed to successfully navigate this tedious administrative process.
At the same time, the team started a participatory process to frame the range of knowledge they would like to pass on with the escape game and the angles through which they will approach the topic of climate change. To do so, they have already sent two questionnaires: one to collect the opinions of both the academic staff working at UCLouvain and actors from the associative sector, and the other to collect the opinions of students in Louvain-la-Neuve who are engaged in projects such as kots-KAPs and student organisations: AGL and Youth for Climate. Some students had already participated in the project’s elaboration phase by giving their opinion on the game. So far, the project has triggered enthusiastic responses from three field actors, four academics, two KAPs as well as Youth for Climate. All their contributions will be included in the educational pack that will be handed out after the game.

Last but not least, the project team participated in the first two Mindchangers capacity-building workshops, which they found very rewarding. The first one, on youth engagement, allowed them to consider their project from a different angle thanks to the tools provided and to refine their target audience. The workshop on communication helped them to define their strategy and improve their communication plan. Those two meetings gave them the opportunity to take some time to reflect on their project, to listen to where the other grantees are and to get inspiration from one another. They also received constructive feedback on what they are doing. More information on the capacity-building workshops in Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles here.