Social Inclusion of Vulnerable Youth Through Esports Education

Abstract

In Denmark, there are increasing problems with school refusal and marginalization of vulnerable youth. At the
same time, joint gaming activities may have a positive influence on young people's social relationships and experience of
being part of communities. In this article, we focus on how esports education with games such as Counter-Strike and League
of Legends can contribute to engaging vulnerable and isolated young people (age 16-25) at Specially Planned Youth Education
(STU). Specifically, we look at how esport teachers and municipal educational guidance counsellors experience the isolated
young people's participation in gaming activities as a process of social inclusion that helps young people to cross boundaries
between different domains - e.g. leisure, education and/or internship. Our analyses are based on interviews with teachers
and guidance counsellors affiliated with three STUs, who are participating in the research project "Esports as a learning space
and bridge builder for vulnerable young people at STU". We understand the young people's participation in esports education
as a process of social inclusion, which involves bridging of experiences across different domains that have specific knowledge
practices and social norms for what counts and does not count as legitimate participation. More precisely, we understand
esports education at STU as social inclusion through an interplay of four domains: 1) the young people's gaming domain in
their leisure time, 2) the STU as an educational domain, 3) the young people's adult domain, as well as a 4) guidance domain.
Based on thematic analysis of the interview data, we identify three themes: 1. Esports education as an introduction to STU,
2. Esports education as a safe and structured framework, and 3. Esports education as a springboard to participation in new
communities. Lastly, we discuss the potentials and challenges of social inclusion of vulnerable youth through esports
education.