Our National Coordinator recently met with Steven Mair, Gamer in Residence at Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, to talk about his role and the part gaming plays in the wellbeing of patients.
Can you tell us a little bit about your role and how you came to be Gamer in Residence?
I’ve had a very interesting road to this work. I was a sports journalist for five years, and then decided it wasn’t for me, so joined Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity in May 2022. Originally I was part of the marketing and communications team, and was then given the responsibility of managing the marketing and fundraising for our ‘Games for the Weans’ campaign. This campaign is for the gamers of Scotland to fundraise for gaming equipment and projects in the children’s hospital. So I went around the country and talked to lots of gaming industry professionals – Scotland has quite a vibrant gaming industry – and also pop culture retailers, online streamers, and university groups.
The hope was to fund some adapted gaming equipment for the charity, but we had no idea how big the response would be, from companies to solo developers and gaming enthusiasts from Scotland and beyond. We then got support from an amazing PR company, Neonhive, and also global charity Child’s Play, and realized that we’d need to think a bit bigger! The term Gamer-in-Residence actually came from Dr Lynn Love, a researcher at Abertay University in Dundee, and felt like a great use of the funds.
We then started asking the question of who would be right for this role, and my name was suggested. It made a lot of sense – I knew all about the project and the funding, had built the relationships, had been to the hospital many times to promote and meet the patients, and am a big gamer too. I feel really grateful and lucky to have been given the chance at a job which is truly unique, it doesn’t really feel like work, more of a vocation.
What does a typical day in the hospital look like for you?
I tend to start the day by making sure I’ve got everything ready for a session – making sure things are charged and checking for any updates or technical difficulties. I work closely with the Play Team who know the patients really well, and they’ll tell me who on the wards might want a visit that day. I manage the Gaming Volunteers, so I’ll make sure they know where they’re going and that they have everything they need. Then I’ll do the rounds. I often dedicate a portion of my day to the fundraising aspect as well, whether that’s linking in with some of our amazing funders and keeping them updated, or attending a special event or conference.
I’m also on hand for anything the wider hospital team needs – We have such a busy programme, and gaming is just one of the many ways we support the children. For example, at Christmas, our Grotto needed prepared for Santa every morning. You’re working in an environment where you have to deal with the unexpected quite a lot, so it can get quite busy.
Hospital arts programmes are quite an established concept, but Gamer in Residence is a relatively new thing. What do you think the appeal is for gaming specifically, compared to other art forms?
There are quite a few similar roles in America, and also countries like Australia and Germany, but we think I’m the first in the UK. I think it's the distraction element of gaming that makes it appealing; there are studies that show it's really beneficial for reducing anxiety, and we want to be guided by the research. Some studies even suggest that it has small to medium impact on the pain levels as well. A lot of the children in the hospital who are in long-term don’t have their usual clubs and friends, so it offers some normality, which is vital for their wellbeing.
It also allows parents or carers to have a well-earned break, or spend time with the patients siblings, knowing their child is in good hands. Knowing there’s someone there whose sole purpose is just to try and make them smile and keep them entertained – it gives them a lot of comfort. And the kids just light up when they see the consoles come out.
How are you capturing the impact of the programme so far?
I collect feedback from our families and log all the hours we play, so I can go back to the funders and say ‘look at what your amazing support is achieving.’ All our volunteers also feed back too. We’re looking at how we might streamline that process in future, but we’re really empowered by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity to run it however feels best.
Do you have a favourite game right now?
Right now it’s Rocket League, which is a hybrid car and football game you can play solo or together. There’s a pitch and you have to try to hit the ball into the teams goal with your care. It’s quite hard, so really one for teenagers, but its so much fun learning the physics of it all. Obviously there are some big favourites in the hospital – EAFC, Mario Kart and Minecraft are big hits. The children absolutely love Minecraft – it’s a bit like digital Lego – and done in the right way it can be really productive and is a great way to teach cooperation.
Historically, gaming hasn’t always had the best rap. What sort of impact would you hope roles like yours would have long term, beyond the immediate patient experience?
Games are so easy to access these days – if you’ve got a smart phone you can play games. Regardless of what we provide, kids will game if that’s what they like to do. So it’s about the regulation of having that trusted adult, that has the resources and experience to try to do it in a safe way. It's my job to make sure anything they are playing is appropriate for them, and that games are being used constructively and in a social way, as just one part of their journey.
It’s also about contextualising. These are children who have had so many of their freedoms and passions taken away for the moment due to illness, and that can be really hard on their mental health. It’s popular debate right now to be negative about gaming, but I think until you’re in that position and know what it’s like day to day for those families, it’s best to keep an open mind.
In terms of our long term goals, I’d love to see this become a fixture at many children’s hospitals across the UK, and for us to have a network to share ideas and innovations. I’d love gaming to be seen as an artform – just like films and books – as a way in which children can express their creativity, relax and recharge. That’s how I see it. I’ve got such gratitude and admiration for anyone involved in the creating these works of art – they were such a big part of my childhood and now my adulthood and my job. I’ll leave the making of games to the experts though, and stick to the bit I’m good at. I’ll carry on playing and advocating, and just continuing to try to keep our patients happy.
Hear more about the Gamer in Residence Programme here