“This project was absolutely perfect for me because I am a gamer, a youth worker, and I also have a part-time job at a programming school. Before this project I had never been to Spain, and Montserrat truly struck me with its breathtaking beauty. I had never imagined that I would find myself at such a remarkable height!
One of the aspects I loved most about this project was the atmosphere. Everyone involved was just as passionate and enthusiastic as I am! Initially, I felt a bit shy due to the diverse cultural backgrounds and age range of the participants. However, as we started to communicate and collaborate, I completely forgot about these differences. It was truly inspiring to meet such amazing individuals.
Now, my Estonian team and I are excitedly preparing for a fantastic event for youngsters. I am also looking forward to participating in more projects with Shokkin. The experiences and connections I made during this project have motivated me to seek out further opportunities for personal and professional growth.”
Anastassija Mašošina
“Having a training about game design and game jams at a unique venue as Montserrat, in Catalonia, has been a lifetime experience. The “INvideogames” team hosted a remarkable workshop that brought together educators, youth workers and gaming enthusiast from France, Spain and Estonia.
I was very happy to be part of the Estonian representatives and be able to share my ideas and learn from the others. The majestic view of the Montserrat mountain range served to inspire creativity and motivation among the participants.
Here are some invaluable insights and learning opportunities I am sharing as key takeaways:
1.Understanding the essential components of game design.
2.Learning, planning and executing a game jam. Effective communication and time management.
3.Gaining practical knowledge through hands-on exercises and group projects.
This workshop helped us take the first steps into the game jam that we will implement this Autumn in Tallinn. Knowing my team skills, building up the project together is being enjoyable and motivates me to keep researching and being as helpful as possible.”
Rodrigo Eyzaguirre
“In the end of May I had the chance to particpate in the inVIDEOGAMESjam training course in Monistrol de Montserrat (Spain), where we explored the possibilities of Videogames jam creation.
This training was designed to teach participants to organise and implement videogames jams. It was a fun experience to work with international teams on different possible acpects of the future jams. We were brainstorming about the ways jams could happen. We tried to be creative and open towards innovative Videogame jams creation, than are to happen already this Autum. I am very exited to implement ideas and practicalities we have learned during the training cource in our future Videogames jam events.”
Julia Divonina
“This training program was truly a unique and interesting experience for me. It gave me important insights into organizing events such as game jams and greatly inspired me to organize some events like that myself.
My favorite aspect of the entire event was connecting with various people from the field. Everyone had stories to tell and experiences to share. That was crucial during the teamwork activities, as all of us could contribute to the projects in various ways. The activities themselves were well structured. We were provided with sufficient information in an engaging way, which helped us form our ideas and put them to work. It was quite intense but exciting and useful.
Overall, I really enjoyed this program. Not only did it give me a lot of new experience, but it also got me connected with amazing people and opened up new opportunities I never thought about. I’m very thankful to everyone participating, the organizers, and everyone else who made it real.”
Mike Stavrovskyi
“I had a fantastic chance to join the Estonian group in Spain to learn more about game jams and how to organise them through a short but intense training course. Having little to no knowledge beforehand, I am fairly confident now that this method could be applicable in a formal education setting.
Furthermore, I had a great time connecting to people from so many different fields and expertise. I am really excited to see the game jam that we are going to organise and I am looking forward to maintaining the relationships that have been cultivated through this project and finding more ways to implement my new experience to the classroom.”
Adele Teras
“I recently had the opportunity to join the inVideogames Jam workshop and training in Montserrat, Barcelona. During this event, I gained invaluable experience that equipped me with new skills and knowledge in creating fun yet meaningful activities for youth aged 13 to 25. I met other people from Spain and France who are passionate about creating experiences for young people and excited about learning how to do it more effectively.
I had been volunteering in youth and young professional communities at church back in my home country for years, so I am quite familiar with youth activities. This event opened my eyes to more creative ways in conducting youth activities that not only focusing on the fun side, but also promoting competencies among young people and raising awareness on pressing issues, such as cyberbullying and mental health.
I am glad to be a part of the inVideogames Jam event and so looking forward to putting into practice what I have learned there together with the Estonian team in the near future. That being said, I believe that what I have learned in this event goes beyond that, and that I will be able to implement it to whatever projects come my way in the future.”
Fifi Arisandi
