Play. Talk. Change. conference success for None In Three Centre
The ground-breaking None In Three (Ni3) global research Centre recently hosted a highly successful two-day online conference that gathered together game developers, early career researchers and change makers with the aim of tackling gender-based violence.
Play. Talk. Change. (PTC) was led by young people from around the world and built upon the progress already made by Ni3 in developing prosocial computer games to address violence against women and children in several countries.
The Ni3 Centre takes its name from the statistic that one in three women will experience gender-based violence (GBV) in their lifetime.
Vikki Hart, Ni3’s Centre Manager, led the conference planning team, which was made up of young people representatives from Jamaica, Uganda, India and the UK.
“Play. Talk. Change. provided a really valuable opportunity for young people from different cultures and backgrounds to come together and gain ‘hands-on’ experience of planning and delivering an online event.
Watch the introduction to Play. Talk. Change.
“Members of the planning team undertook active roles in all aspects of the planning and delivery of the conference, including designing branding, developing the programme, producing social media posts, approaching speakers, managing budgets, consulting with local press and some even took on the role of Chair.
“The conference was truly ‘international’ and attracted attendees from across the globe, from countries including Brazil, Denmark, India and Germany amongst many others.
“GBV has a devasting impact on the lives of women and girls from all communities and countries globally and raising awareness of this, through events such as Play. Talk. Change is crucial. Despite the highly sensitive nature of the topic, the young people were able to convey important messages to their audience, in both an engaging and creative way.
“I was impressed to see what was achieved and would encourage everyone to take a look at the recordings from the event.”
Take a look at some of the gameplay from Ni3's prosocial game for Jamaica
PTC began with opening addresses from Dr Nadia Wager, Ni3’s Centre Director, and Professor Adele Jones, who helped establish the centre before her recent retirement. Over the course of PTC’s two days, the Zoom sessions – many of which are now on Ni3’s YouTube channel – featured:
- high profile keynote speakers from the worlds of game development
- research and violence prevention
- showcasing of the Ni3 video games
- sessions sharing the particular challenges and requirements of addressing and preventing violence in each country.
Following in the footsteps of PTC and a forum to mark International Women’s Day on 8 March, Ni3 is to host its first annual conference in the week commencing 27 September.