# The Role of Digitalization: Can Young Adults be Encouraged to Stay in Regions Outside Major Cities?

> How can digital gamified solutions enhance engagement and skills among young adults in the rural regions?

## Project Overview: Prepare. To. Gamify! (P.T.G!)
Through the “Prepare. To. Gamify! Ecosystem Building” (P.T.G!) project, we have identified how digital gamified solutions can enhance engagement and skills among young adults in the regions of North Savo (Finland), Västerbotten (Sweden), and the West of Ireland. The theme is crucial for retaining talent through stimulating and sustaining a thriving gamification and game development ecosystem in these regions. 

As a preparation project, P.T.G! has validated that the potential benefits of continuing to focus on the youth demographic in those regions enhance their well-being and increase the likelihood that they remain in or return to the area. During P.T.G!, the project team extensively engaged with stakeholders, shared experiences and good practices, and co-learned together with project partners and stakeholders.

“Prepare. To. Gamify!” is an Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) initiative running from the beginning of December 2023 to the end of November 2024. The project partners include:
* Savonia University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
* Mind Detonator (Sweden)
* Region Västerbotten (Sweden)
* Ardán (Ireland)

P.T.G! aims to map current utilization and implementation of gamification in these regions as well as explore ways to apply the game industry’s methodologies beyond just gaming, for example in education and health.

## Regional Development and Digitalization
By analyzing existing methods within innovative ecosystems and resources targeting young adults, we strive to identify the best practices, needs, and challenges within these areas. This lays the groundwork for developing tailored solutions that can increase engagement and learning in local communities, as well as strengthen cross-border collaboration. 

Through our stakeholder engagement, we have discussed with municipalities facing challenges such as significant emigration. We heard that there should be a continued focus on building attractive place-based communities, investing in culture, and establishing safe physical and digital meeting places. There is a need to develop and align regional policies that better understand the effects of digitalization and create attractive international cooperation platforms for societal and economic issues.

## Gamification in Practice
P.T.G!’s basis for the feasibility study was that today young adults live in a reality where they expect information to be well-packaged, even outside of the game world, irrespective of geographical location. 

### Education
By integrating gamification principles, a more interactive and stimulating environment is created, making learning more pedagogical and attractive. In schools, gamification can enhance student engagement by turning traditional lessons into interactive activities that promote both knowledge acquisition and collaboration.

### Motivational Enhancement & Rewards
* **Organizations:** Utilizing gamified elements in operations can improve employee motivation and productivity by setting goals and rewards.
* **Healthcare:** Solutions can assist patients in adhering to treatments or rehabilitation programs by offering rewards for progress.
* **Sports and Fitness:** Gamified apps and platforms can motivate individuals to achieve their goals through competitions, achievements, and social interactions.

## Future Outlook: InnoGS
P.T.G!’s activities included preparing a main project based on its results. The consortium building activities resulted in expanding the committed partners to include:
* Humak University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
* The University of Iceland
* The Government of Greenland
* Original P.T.G! project partners
* 11 Associated Partners

The main project application, “Innovation Through Gamification Solutions” (InnoGS), is currently under review by Interreg NPA’s Monitoring Committee, with plans to start in March 2025 and run until the end of February 2028.

## Contact Information
**Authors:**
* Jenny Ferry, Innovation Leader, Region Västerbotten, jenny.ferry@regionvasterbotten.se
* Kalle Sievänen, Project Manager, Prepare. To. Gamify! Ecosystem Building -project, Sustainable Societies’ research field, Savonia UAS, kalle.sievanen@savonia.fi

**Editors:**
* John Crowley, Games Projects Coordinator, Ardán, john@ardan.ie
* Bailey Lähdesmäki, RDI Expert, Sustainable Societies’ research field, Savonia UAS, bailey.lahdesmaki@savonia.fi

**More Information:**
[www.interreg-npa.eu/projects/ptg](http://www.interreg-npa.eu/projects/ptg)