Making healthy life choices can be challenging for young people. In response to the City of Breda’s challenge during the Second Round of Open Calls, AR-GO Lab Oy developed a safe, interactive metaverse space to promote youth mental wellbeing. The ILI metaverse offers reliable information, support, and advice for young people navigating difficult situations.
ILI includes themed rooms with youth-focused content, animations based on real-life scenarios, and an AI assistant to answer questions. It also encourages users to explore their city, discover new hobbies, and lead more active lives. The solution was adapted to the target audience, including Dutch language support, and is freely available online. It can be used independently or with the guidance of a youth worker, for example during counselling.
Co-Creation in Action
ILI was co-created with youth workers and young people from the Netherlands and Finland through:
- A survey of young people in Breda, informing the design and features;
- Real-world locations recommended by the City of Breda, now integrated into the metaverse;
- Pilot testing with youth workers, who provided valuable feedback.
Impact and Next Steps
ILI’s features can support future youth-focused challenges and campaigns. The solution will be presented to city youth departments and organisations across Europe, involving young people in ongoing testing and development. More animations and content will be added, and AI will help make ILI available in all major European languages.
CommuniCity’s Third Round of Pilots runs until the end of May 2025.