In every wrinkle of a face, a story is hidden. At Odd Statue Social, we don’t just listen to these stories. We turn them into keys, puzzles, and adventures. This is the heart of ESCAPERS, an Erasmus+ project that aims to do something radical: use the memories of the elderly to build bridges to the future.
The Challenge: A Gap to be Bridged
Modern society faces a silent epidemic: the isolation of the elderly. At the same time, the gap between generations often seems unbridgeable, with limited opportunities for meaningful interaction. ESCAPERS was born from the belief that play can be the solution, creating a common ground where the experience of seniors and the energy of youth can meet.
The Solution: From Memory to Game
Our methodology is deeply human. It all starts with the “Memory Workshops.” These are not simple interviews, but warm gatherings filled with coffee, laughter, and sometimes, tears of emotion. In these safe spaces, the elderly become our storytellers, and our designers become the students.
The Co-Creation Process
Every detail they share—an old profession, a letter from the war, a grandmother’s recipe—is analyzed and transformed. A lock on a chest might symbolize a family secret. An old map might become the guide to solving a puzzle. The result is five unique, handcrafted escape games that are not just fun; they are living testimonies.
The Impact: More Than Just Fun
When young people play these games, something magical happens. History ceases to be a paragraph in a book and becomes an interactive challenge. The impact is twofold:
- For the elderly: They feel seen, valued, and connected. They combat isolation, exercise their minds, and feel proud that their legacy lives on.
- For the youth: They develop empathy, learn local history in an experiential way, and realize the value of intergenerational wisdom.
The Future of ESCAPERS
The project is in full swing, with the games being pilot-tested across Europe. Our goal is for these deliverables to become open educational resources, available to any school, care center, or community organization that wants to build its own bridges.
ESCAPERS reminds us daily that the best stories are not found on screens, but in the hearts of the people around us. All it takes is creating the right game to unlock them.
You can follow all the project’s developments on our project page.
