SHINE 2Europe is the Coordinator of the new international project STEP_UP: Stop Epidemic Growth Through Learning that addresses strategies to slow pandemic growth through learning. The international STEP_UP project started in December 2020 is funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ program and held its international kick-off meeting at the end of March.

The company’s CEO, Carina Dantas, revealed that “it is proud to have Portugal leading European initiatives that can bring value, particularly at the current moment, and develop innovative tools for our most pressing social challenges”.

Together with 4 partners from different European countries (AFEdemy, ISIS, CIPH and Wise Angle), SHINE 2Europe will develop a training tool for social workers and community stakeholders, using gamification.

The goal of STEP_UP is to develop an educational game, which can also be used as a recreational game, in which players will act to prevent a pandemic from spreading. A list of measures will be presented, and the player needs to learn and understand them in order to choose those that would help stop the virus from spreading without harming the economy or causing social problems. The game will also help people understand government measures and know how to distinguish true facts from myths and fake news.

In addition to the game and the complete set of training tools, a manual on social and policy interventions will also be produced, which aims to provide guidance directed at the target group on early detection, preventive measures, health and social support interventions, policy measures, and communication. The handbook will be completed with real-life oriented user stories, good practices and lessons learned.

SHINE 2Europe is a young company from the central region of Portugal, which is currently participating in several international projects related to issues such as racism and hate speech, inclusive environments and design for all, ethics and policy recommendations for societal challenges. The project’s official website is available at https://stepupgame.eu/