[FI-732] Boosting adventure education among youth workers: Integrating survival skills basics and design thinking in game creation. TC2 Oivanki, Finland • 10.12.2025 - 18.12.2025
Youth work, survival skills, and game design are three unique yet interrelated areas crucial for nurturing development, resilience, and creativity among young people. Following our first practical training in July, where we mastered the raw elements of survivalism, the GEYC team returned to Finland for the second chapter of our journey.
Moving from the summer heat to the snowy landscapes of Oivanki, this December training course (TC2) shifted the focus from learning survival skills to teaching them through the process of gamification.
The Mission: Design Thinking in the Wild
While TC1 was about understanding nature, TC2 was about creation. The main goal was to empower youth workers to upgrade their game design skills and apply outdoor survival knowledge in their daily work.
Participants from Romania, Italy, Finland, and France formed intercultural teams to tackle a specific challenge: How do we make survival education engaging, educational, and fun?. Using the Design Thinking Methodology, we spent the week brainstorming, prototyping, and refining educational games.
The Process: From Concept to Reality
| Phase | Key Activities |
|---|---|
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Step 1: Empathize |
We started by understanding the core concepts. Sessions included "What is Design Thinking?" and exploring how to apply it specifically to outdoor contexts. We focused on reconnecting with the team and understanding the needs of young people in adventure education. |
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Step 2: Define |
Teams moved to define their project objectives. We utilized tools like Mind Mapping to answer the critical question: "What do we need for a successful outdoor game?". This phase clarified the learning outcomes for our future players. |
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Step 3: Ideate |
Creativity took center stage. Teams brainstormed mechanics, narratives, and formats. We explored how to blend survival topics (navigation, fire-making, first aid) with game mechanics. |
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Step 4: Prototype |
After a refreshing Retreat Day/Hike on Sunday, we returned to build. Ideas were turned into tangible assets—whether digital codes, physical cards, or escape room clues. |
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Step 5: Test & Refine |
The most critical phase: Playtesting. We dedicated a full day to testing the games. Teams played each other's creations, providing feedback to refine mechanics and ensure the educational goals were met. |
The Results: A Toolkit for Youth Workers
The creativity of the participants resulted in a diverse array of educational tools. By the end of the week, we had successfully designed, created, and implemented:
To ensure these tools live on beyond the project, we dedicated the final days to creating Pocket Books. This sketch books serve as manuals for youth workers, documenting each game so they can be replicated and disseminated in local communities back home.
This project is co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme and supported by GEYC as a partner organization.
Project ID: 2024–3-FI01-KA153-YOU-000265274
To see more pictures on what happened in Oivanki, tap here: