UpGameIn: Fundacja Fantazmat-Methodology for Environmental Awareness and Circular Economy

Aims of the tool

The main aims of the tool (i.e., the game-based methodology and library of practices) are:
To raise awareness about environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity, and sustainability
To promote circular economy principles (e.g., recycling, waste reduction, resource management)
To encourage behavioral change through engagement and reflection
To empower learners and communities to take action in real life
To develop key skills, including:
Critical thinking
Collaboration
Creativity
Systems thinking
To support inclusive and accessible learning across diverse target groups

Description of the tool

Fantazmat make their games flexible player-wise as well as viable in the case of circular economy principles with the combination of reusable props and suggestions on how to set up the games in various locations, using the list of predetermined props and scenography elements, many of which tend to be everyday items adapted or re-purposed in accordance with the need of specific scenarios. A similar principle is used in terms of costumes and player preparation, with use providing reusable elements of these and suggesting how to turn mundane items into elements of said costumes.
In Fantazmat, they adapt existing spaces to the needs of their games with the use of a set of predetermined items and strategies, the latter of which are sourced either from our own practice or from the experience of other creators.
These methodologies allow them to stay environmentally-friendly, put circular economy principles in practice, and also perfectly reinforce our goal of the games being available for a wider audience thanks to low entry costs as well as a community-oriented and driven model of operations.
LARPs: Games as tools for community building and educational experiences, utilized to raise awareness about social and environmental issues. They combine emergent and environmental storytelling, roles and character embodiment with meaningful play and causality tied to consequences for the players to provide a meaningful learning environment.
Environmental themes are either present as parts of the main narrative or on a meta level in the approach we promote towards both design and facilitation of LARPs.

Environmental themes and messaging in games
Environmental themes are integrated into the game through the overall story and quests as well. This is done on both general level, through briefings, materials openly available for players and props as well as on a more personalized level through character sheets and there via backstories, motivations and goals of the characters.

Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jtTgji-VK253q2SEiuK386OjWjtFtTEP?usp=sharing