Co-creating ‘Dragons of Afterlands’, an Augmented Reality Board Game for Adolescent Skill Development

Synopsis

In this session, we’ll explore the journey of co-creating ‘Dragons of Afterlands’, an evidence-based, augmented reality board game designed to support adolescent socioemotional development and engagement. Developed through a collaborative, iterative design process with young people, psychologists, and educators, the game blends evidence-based content with playful, narrative-driven mechanics to build socioemotional and communication skills. We’ll examine the psychological theories that informed the design, along with emerging findings from academic trials and ongoing pilots within NHS settings and alternative education provision. The session will offer a critical reflection on what it means to create tools that are both engaging and evidence-based.