(Photo courtesy of Games For Change, and used with permission,)

At Games For Change, games are about far more than recreation.

The New York-based nonprofit's mission is empowerment.   Through game design, Games For Change provides a vehicle for   innovators.  The goal: to start with a game, and facilitate positive change in the real world.

Games for Change President Susanna Pollack is right at the center of some exciting educational and professional innovations.

(Photo courtesy of Games For Change, and used with permission.)

Programs offered by Games For Change include an annual "Student Challenge", for middle- and high-school students.   Young participants create digital games with a social impact, based on the issues they've observed in their communities.

(Photo courtesy of Games For Change, and used with permission.)

In addition, every year, Games For Change hosts the largest social-impact games festival in the game industry.  Their 2018 "Games For Change Festival" brought more than a thousand attendees together to explore the ways digital games can make a difference.

And a new year-round initiative, XR For Change, seeks to create collaborative experiences with storytellers, technology companies, researchers and users, with the goal of improving lives.

Susanna shared the story of her organization, explained how the Student Challenge works and offered a look at the ways Games For Change is looking to reach even further to make a difference.
On this edition of Over Coffee®, you will hear:

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Why games offer an optimum opportunity to drive impact on social issues;

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How Susanna first became involved with Games For Change;

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The story of Games For Change and how the organization developed its mission of creating an impact through games;

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How the Games For Change Challenge for public schools came about;

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What teachers can expect, with this curriculum;

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What's currently being planned, for next summer's Games For Change Festival;

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The resources Susanna recommends, for game creation for social impact;

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How Susanna and her staff are working to involve more women in game design;

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One of the ways a major educational institution is using VR to address a major social problem;

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How the XR For Change program works;

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How you can get involved with their work (they produce social-impact public arcades for community events!).