Resources
Impact
Deeply misunderstood, people who are given a diagnosis of an illness where psychosis plays a big part die up to two decades earlier than those unaffected by these conditions. These poor outcomes aren’t just part and parcel of the illness. They are exacerbated by the isolation that comes with prejudice in wider society. As a VR experience Goliath: Playing With Reality set out to challenge perceptions of people with lived experience of psychosis through compelling storytelling and meaningful immersive experience design.
In order to deepen this impact we are working to bring the project and additional resources to targeted community groups.
Raising Awareness
We will be producing an educational tool kit that will be used for public and youth engagement.
Although young people aged 18-24 are most at risk of developing psychosis most are unaware of the warning signs. Many compelling reports highlight that getting the right treatment for someone when they first exhibit the signs of disconnection with reality can be life changing and radically alter that person’s future. Goliath’s story of how he has used gaming to manage his isolation has already connected with thousands of young people around the world. Through the tool kit we can empower more young people to become ambassadors of mental health and look after themselves and their peers in a challenging world.
Changing Practises in Care
During the research phase of the project the Goliath Team ran a number of workshops in collaboration with the mental health charity Mind in Camden looking at project outcomes. The workshops involved people with lived experience exploring the potential of VR to express their stories. Participants were asked who they felt was the most important person to show the reality of their experiences to – everybody named their doctor.
We are presently developing the core of the Goliath experience into a full immersive education training kit that aims to increase compassion and connection between healthcare professionals, first responders, social sector workers and people suffering from psychosis.
In collaboration with a number of healthcare institutions we will run a research study to assess the impact of this learning tool on behaviour and attitudes.
A primary study, in collaboration with Barts & The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, using Goliath as a psychosis simulation tool as well as an evaluation of the use of Goliath as a teaching resource at UWE Nursing School is also taking place in 2022.
We are actively seeking specialists from health education with an interest in this area to contact us about collaboration on this tool. Please contact hello@goliathvr.io for more information.