The MA Students Shaping the Future of Virtual Youth Work

In March, the first beta of our platform was released to students on the MA in Immersive Environments in Education. Over the coming weeks the students, all active youth workers, will begin using the app in real-world settings with young people.

Their role goes far beyond testing features and usability. They are helping shape how the platform works in practice for both youth workers and the young people they support. Crucially, they are best placed to understand what young people actually want from this kind of space, ensuring development is guided by real needs rather than assumptions.

The app is still in the early stages of development, and over the next 18 months, we will continue to roll out new spaces, features, tools, and activities to aid youth work practice. This is a live, evolving platform, built in collaboration with practitioners on the ground.

As part of their MA studies, the students will also undertake research that feeds directly back into development. This creates a continuous loop between practice, research, and iteration, helping us design a platform that is safe, inclusive, non-commercial, and non-predatory by design.

Working with groups including neurodiverse young people, those experiencing social anxiety, disabilities, and digital-native users, they are ensuring the platform is grounded in real-world contexts. Their involvement is critical in shaping a virtual youth space that expands access to those who may not otherwise engage with traditional services.

The current cohort includes students from Hungary, Finland, Ireland, and Greece. This international perspective is key to ensuring the platform is not designed for a single context, but is adaptable and ready to support youth services across the EU as the project progresses.

The MA students in the VR youth space.