Mathias Kok

This project looks at how design can help raise awareness of mental health problems among young people, by actively incorporating methods for emotional and social development in secondary education.

Studies show that an increasing number of Danish youth are suffering from mental health problems and that their social landscape is part of the problem. School is a key part of a child's life and thus an obvious arena to exploit to address mental health issues among young people. It is not only a space to learn about maths and geography, but also one where they learn to engage socially and build their identity.

Bureau Of Social Investigation is an analog, game-based learning tool, designed for secondary education in which young people work collaboratively and creatively as “social investigators” to create, explore, and address fictive conflictual cases related to young people's social landscapes and notions of identity.

As a learning tool, it aims to provide a safe, simple, and engaging platform to help young people express, share, and reflect critically on their own experiences and feelings, to build a nuanced understanding of the connections between people and their world, and empower them to take ownership of their own and others’ situations, by transforming insight and awareness into opportunities for positive change.