Esports in Youth Work with Jan Lai, season 3, episode 5

Talking Youth Work

Dear listeners,

In this edition, we had the pleasure of conversing with Jan Lai, an expert in international youth mobility, non-formal education, youth work, digital literacy, and online learning. Jan is a passionate and restless soul who enjoys a good challenge.

During our chat, Jan shared how he initiated an esports* team with a group of young people in his hometown, Cagliari, with a modest budget.

*Esports, short for electronic sports, is a form of competition using video games.[1] Esports often takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players, individually or as teams. (Source wikipedia)

In addition to playing games, the youngsters were tasked with assembling the computers they would use to play. This undertaking was a unique learning experience for all involved, as they had to learn how to work together as a team to build computers from scratch. The project is recent but already a success, and the young people learned valuable skills such as teamwork, patience, and technical know-how.

Video games can be an excellent tool to engage young people in learning experiences that may not otherwise pique their interest when presented in a formal educational setting. Furthermore, gaming can serve as a platform for socializing and teamwork, where young people can work together towards a common goal.

By encouraging young people to step out of their comfort zones, learn new skills, and commit to something they are passionate about, they can become more motivated and interested in developing their abilities.

Other groups across Europe are also creating esports teams and organizing tournaments to compete, socialize and share experiences beyond virtual settings.

We hope you enjoyed this episode as much as we did.

Here’s the link to a publication about Participation with Videogames.

https://participationpool.eu/resource/exploring-participation-with-videogames/