Can We Fix It?

So I’ve been home in Cumbernauld (nothing to shout about, let me tell you) over the weekend, having a break from studies before my final push towards the summer break, and I was referenced by my brother to an expanding initiative, which I thought would be of interest to Scottish developers.

Fixers is an interesting programme that takes 16-25 year olds that feel strongly about social issues – drugs, crime and prejudice, to name a few – and get them to talk to their peers about it. The definition of “Fixers” are documented as:

“A generation of young people, aged 16-25, fixing issues that fire them up, however they choose.”

The official website also describes the aims of the movement: 

“Each Fixer shares their story to make a difference to issues they feel strongly about, giving young people unique, often creative ways to think and share experiences. Some Fixers focus on how young people can change perceptions and help one another, while many recount personal stories about mental health, homelessness, or abuse to raise awareness of that issue.”

The campaign has primarily been a focus in England, with more than 7,000 Fixers registered. With current funding being provided by the government, the initiative can be spread across the UK, and more than 20,000 Fixers are expected to be recruited over the next few years.

Looking for creative and innovative ways to target young adults in challenging social positions is what Fixers is all about, and it would be a good challenge for students – both in the later stages of high school and those in university – to sign up to if they are looking to make a change in someone’s life. With games being a popular platform in conveying a powerful message to a widespread audience, there seems to be a bridge between the industry and this initiative that can be built.

I think there’s a lot of potential with games made for this purpose. It doesn’t necessarily have to re-invent the wheel in terms of content: The Story Mechanics’ recent release of The 39 Steps took existing literature to essentially bring readers into games (or turn gamers into readers, whichever way you look at it). The mix between current literature and an “interactive narrative” could make for a powerful education tool that could be used in school and communities to stimulate a change in someone’s life.

What do you make of this? How do you see this working with games? Is this a movement that you would welcome and support in the games industry?

Andrew Reid

Managing Director