Learning by playing: Fondazione CDP and Cometa join forces to support young people’s emotional education

Summary

Developed as part of the Artisans of the Future project, The Emotions of the Gorilla is a game created by secondary school students to foster emotional and relational skills

Human or gorilla? The answer takes shape in The Emotions of the Gorilla, an educational game designed by students from Cometa Foundation’s Oliver Twist school as part of the Artisans of the Future initiative, which has been supported by the CDP Foundation since 2021. Targeting secondary schools, the project involved students from the Artisanal Design High School and the fourth-years of the Wood and Textile Vocational Programme, who turned a classroom activity into a hands-on design experience, creating a unique card game focused on developing emotional awareness and social skills.

Inspired by Cometa’s educational method, which is rooted in experiential learning, The Emotions of the Gorilla is a party game for children aged 10 and up. It includes 126 illustrated cards and 28 emotion cards designed to encourage self-awareness and interaction, whether in cooperative or competitive mode, even in large classroom settings.

“Artisans of the Future fully reflects the CDP Foundation’s vision of promoting innovative and inclusive educational pathways with a high social impact”, noted Martina La Valle, Project Manager at the CDP Foundation. “This is a commitment we’ve upheld with conviction since 2021, supporting initiatives like The Emotions of the Gorilla, a concrete example of how hands-on learning can engage young people, combat early school leaving and unlock their human and professional potential.”

The students worked side by side with industry professionals, following the stages of design thinking – from concept to product launch – within a learning process that also included targeted training for teachers and tutors, who visited leading European companies to gather tools and insights to use in the classroom.

“It all started with a single question: what does playing mean to us?” the students explained. “Gradually we realised just how much work goes into creating a game. The creative part was really enjoyable because we were given complete freedom. It was interesting to debate ideas with our classmates to understand what type of game would work best. We believe a game about emotions is important for learning about ourselves, being seen and understanding others, while still having fun. Seeing the finished product – the box, the cards – and playing it together was incredibly exciting. We’d definitely recommend it to other kids our age.”

The educational journey has now come to a close, and the game is ready for distribution. From the Oliver Twist school, it will reach other educational institutions with the aim of providing students with a valuable tool to explore and better understand themselves and their emotions.

The game is available free of charge for teachers and schools and can be requested via the website www.leemozionidelgorilla.org. For more information write to progetti@puntocometa.org