Digital support networks

The Jed Foundation is a US non-profit focused on empowering teenagers and young adults through “building resilience and life skills and promoting social connectedness.” As part of the important work they are doing, Jed published a report in July 2023 offering actionable guidance on how we can tap into a “metaverse ecosystem that centres the rights and well-being of youth.”

Initiatives such as Games for Change and Connected Learning Lab are diving deeper into creating opportunities for awareness, connection and communication within the gaming industry and game development.

Games for Change hosted a panel in August centred on the relationship between a metaverse and mental health. Industry experts and mental health specialists came together to offer concerns and solutions for a world needing greater connectivity in the digital space. Read on to discover some of the engaging and empowering ways in which young people can utilise a metaverse to enhance their IRL experiences.

Agency

One of the most accessible tools for young people navigating a developing digital world is social media. Young people (16-24) have increasingly been using platforms such as mobile health apps (64%) and 87% have gone online for mental health information. These digital tools offer young people a feeling of agency and connectedness over their mental health, along with a wealth of information online. Developers are beginning to tap into the importance of working with mental health professionals and to create initiatives (such as with Deepwell) that are specifically angled towards supporting positive mental health and open communication. With the numerous metaverse options available in the current market (to include social media platforms, gaming, immersive worlds) the potential for increased engagement and social connection should be enormous in the coming years.

Support

Young people are also exhibiting signs of online community creation that is motivated by support, shared experience and care. 39% of young people use online spaces to seek others with shared conditions, suggesting that engagement could develop into spaces where social support is offered in identity-affirming communities. In order for this concept to authentically generate safe and positive experiences, the Jed report suggests creating a model of a “youth-centred metaverse system.” This means situating young people within every research avenue, to ensure that what they really need and feel is heard when developing the spaces they have access to.

Play

Children and adults alike are motivated by the positive power of play, whether to engage in immersive reality games with friends in the online world or challenge oneself through logic-focused apps. Young people especially use gaming as a space for connection with people around the world, ensuring that those from marginalised communities are also able to play and share together regardless of social boundaries. This creation of community through play needs to be strictly regulated with the implementation of age-gating and community guidelines to ensure that communication is safe and open.

Head over to https://jedfoundation.org/ to discover more on mental health resources and the incredible work they do.