The Game Time project supported the employment and study guidance of young people between the ages of 17 and 29 in Oulu and Tampere through Pelifarmi coaching programmes. The coaching programmes focused on building personal paths towards employment for young people. The project organised two coaching programmes in each city, with 25 young people participating in each.
Additionally, the project involved examining how the coaching programmes affect the development of young peoples’ game development skills and social relationships.
Results of the Game Time project
- Two thirds of the young people who participated in the Pelifarmi coaching programmes continued on to employment or studies. Only 12% of the young people who participated in the coaching went back to job-seeking.
- The Game Time project developed an operating model for the Pelifarmi coaching programme. The model combines individual guidance with the contribution of an employment coach and also utilises youth peer guidance.
- The impact of the Pelifarmi coaching programmes on the lives of the young people participating was studied by the Finnish Youth Research Network. One of the conclusions of the study was that in addition to developing game development skills, the group work and lessons that young people participated in during the programmes provided them with networking opportunities and knowledge of their own strengths, among other benefits. Many of the young people also felt that the coaching had a significant positive impact on their self-esteem and confidence. The study also found that the Pelifarmi coaching improved the overall well-being of some of the young people participating. Pelifarmi was also important to the young people participating as a social community.
- The project developed cooperation between game industry companies, educational institutions and cities. The project allowed companies to establish contact with potential employees.
- The City of Tampere aims to organise further Pelifarmi coaching programmes.
- The City of Tampere will also continue running the Pelifarmi Lounge, an offshoot of the project through which young people can continue improving their game development skills in groups after the coaching programme. The idea for the Lounge came from the young people themselves. The operations of the Lounge emphasise the role of individual counselling as well as young people’s self-direction and peer support.
- The productisation of Pelifarmi created a good foundation for rooting the coaching programme in the network and expanding the Pelifarmi brand to other areas, such as Pelifarmi eSports activities, which will continue in both Oulu and Tampere.
- The cities are also considering utilising the coaching concept in other areas besides game development.
- In Oulu, this has lead to the launch of the Luovuus+ project, which utilises the Pelifarmi concept, but expands the coaching to other creative industries as well.
The aim of the Game Time project was to support the employment of young people in Oulu and Tampere. Additionally, the project aimed at diversifying the operating preconditions of game development companies, utilising research-based information in the game development industry, increasing young people’s awareness of educational opportunities and lowering barriers to education and training. The project ran from 1 January 2017 to 28 February 2019 and had a budget of EUR 552,200.
Further information:
Marko Tiusanen
Project Manager
City of Oulu
marko.tiusanen(at)ouka.fi
tel. +358 (0)50 520 9646
Kosti Pasanen
Project Planner
City of Oulu
kosti.pasanen(at)ouka.fi
tel. +358 (0)40 724 3522
Janne Kaakinen
Project Planner
City of Tampere
janne.kaakinen(at)tampere.fi
tel. +358 (0)40 707 1658