Care Jam 2021

Reimagining the story of care through games.

Care Jam 2021 is a 7-day game jam where game developers, creators and people with lived experience of care develop new gaming concepts that uplift stories of care and the people who do it, and help us reimagine a world where care is collective, visible and valued.

The goal of a game jam is to work in teams (or solo!) to create a game based on a specific theme, within a set period of time, testing out new ideas and inclusive narratives, learning new skills and having lots of fun!

Beginners Welcome

Everyone is welcome to participate in Care Jam 2021, even if you’ve never developed a game before. 

We're offering: 

• A series of short introductory tutorial sessions about game jams and tools for game development
• Industry experts for troubleshooting and mentoring during the jam 
• Sensitivity consultants will be available for help with care narratives
• Inspiring talks from activists and game designers working on care narratives 
• A whole bundle of game jam and care narrative resources 

Why “Care” Matters

Everyone is touched by care at some point in their lives: from working parents to people who are disabled, from migrant care workers to our aging loved ones.

The COVID-19 pandemic has solidified care as one of the most pressing issues of our time with many people becoming unpaid caregivers for the first time, and care workers finally being recognized as essential. It brought the conversation about how we care for one another to the forefront of national discourse.

• There are 44 million unpaid family caregivers in the US caring for an adult (parent, spouse, or another loved one) and estimated 6.5 million caregivers in the UK.
• Globally, the number of our “oldest old” — people aged 80 and older — is expected to more than triple between 2015 and 2050, from 126.5 million to 446.6 million.
• In the US, home care has been the fastest growing industry, growing at 4.4 percent year over year, with median annual pay around $17,000 annually. More than half of all care workers rely on some form of public assistance and care jobs remain underpaid, undervalued and unprotected.
• In many countries, the care industry is predominantly made up of women workers, most of whom are from migrant backgrounds and/or communities of colour. 

A Brighter Future

Code Coven has partnered with Caring Across Generations, Counterpoints Arts, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance to raise awareness and educate about the importance of care internationally, and explore new ways to increase representation and visibility of diverse caregiving experiences across the lifespan.

Challenging cultures that have failed to adequately value and support caregiving means changing the story of care and the people who do it. It requires challenging harmful stereotypes rooted in racism, sexism and xenophobia by rewriting those narratives into cultural mediums, like games.

Games serve as an immense and unique platform for storytelling and exploring hard-hitting themes, with nearly 3 billion players globally and endless combinations of mechanics and stories. A game jam, in particular, offers an opportunity to test new ideas around pressing social issues like the future of care, while incorporating lived experience into games.

Game Jam Details 

Themes

• Centering the stories and lived experiences of care workers, especially migrants, people of colour and women, as leading protagonists.
• Centering the experiences of anyone who may depend on care, such as people who are disabled or aging, as leading protagonists.
• Building empathy and multi-dimensional narratives about care, community, and interdependence.
• Challenging harmful stereotypes about caregiving and care work, such as who is expected to provide care and how they deserve to be treated.
• Role-playing difficult conversations and/or trainings about care and care responsibilities.
• Connecting family caregivers and care workers to supportive resources.

Who?

This game jam is open to anyone aged 18+. We welcome participants from all genders, races, ethnicities, religions and abilities and encourage allies to participate.

No previous game development experience is required, just a willingness to engage with the themes and get creative!

In registering for this event, all participants must agree to adhere to our Code of Conduct.

When?

Thursday 2nd December - Thursday 9th December 2021

Due to the global nature of our event, teams are welcome to operate within their own schedules. Final project submission time will be 7.30pm GMT on Thursday 9th December 2021.

How much time will I need to be available to join a team?

We recommend:

• 10 hours minimum across the week
• Daily participation, even if you're only checking in with your team

Actual time needed depends on the scope of the game you are creating, your role within the team, and your experience in that role. It's important to communicate your availability with your team and plan accordingly.

Where?

Care Jam 2021 will be hosted via Itch.io and Discord.

Final game projects must be submitted via Itch.io. The Itch page will go live closer to the game jam’s commencement.

All communications before, during, and after the event will be facilitated on Discord, so we hope to see you there! 

For more information check out our FAQs.

Presented By

Caring Across Generations, Code Coven, Counterpoints Arts, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance have partnered to raise awareness and educate about the importance of care internationally, and explore new ways to increase representation and visibility of diverse caregiving experiences across the lifespan.

Supported By

Supported by Games for Change, POC in Play, Rise-Home Stories, The Able Gamers Charity, Raise the Game Diversity Pledge, BAME in Games, and UKIE.