Ey schatje! / Hi babe! An intervention game

Collaboration of CONCEPT Mingels & Qpido

Type of Organisation: Foundation

The aim of ‘Ey schatje!’ / ‘Hi babe!’ is to increase understanding, empathy and positive communication between adolescents.

By using peer influence in a controlled and positive way, the adolescents are their own teachers. They are able to set their own norms and values and reflect with each other on real-life situations. The game leader provides a playful ambience and is aware of the need to adjust extreme ideas. Because of the preventive approach, it can be used from the age of 12 years. Emerging extreme ideas can then be identified before they get fierce.

The empathising questions and role plays made adolescents say that they “would recommend playing ‘Ey schatje!’ / ‘Hi babe!’” because it is “educative to see how others think”, “it was very funny” and it made them see “what to improve” about their communication styles.

Because we want to talk about ‘hot’ and complicated subjects as well, a safe ambience is needed. Therefore, the intervention game consists of four games of 50-60 minutes (adjustments are possible depending on attention span).

• The first game is about one’s own qualities and things one is less proud of.
• The second game is about meeting someone online or seeing someone on the streets, for example.
• The third game is about falling in love and maybe meeting with someone.
• The fourth game is about relationships and intimacy.

There are two versions of the game. The first is a board game for two to eight players. The second is a classroom game for six to 30 players.

The aspect of boys’ behaviour and attitude towards girls is important in this, especially regarding excesses within the incel movement, and other extremist ideologies with misogyny as a driving factor. After all, if young boys understand the relational point of view from girls, and if they feel more understood by girls, they would be less resentful towards the whole female gender, which is often the case within the above-mentioned movements. If they are thus less resentful, they are less vulnerable to these movements and extreme misogynist ideals.

Because the intervention is very new, there are two promoting videos and one instruction video (all in Dutch, for now). There is a handbook included in the intervention, to lead it. Deepening questions and facts are included in the handbook.

Address

Baarsjesweg 224,
1058AA, Amsterdam
Netherlands

Contact person: Muriale Mingels
Telephone: (+31) 624 926 675
m [dot] mingelslevvel [dot] nl (Email) | Website