Viarama working on plans to incorporate
virtual reality into the prison system
Y
OUNG OFFENDERS IN SCOTLAND could be set to
benefit from the use of virtual reality (VR), if work
from the world’s first virtual reality social enterprise
comes to fruition.
Billy Agnew, founder of Viarama - a resident of the University's
Business Innovation Zone (BIZ) - has been working behind the
scenes with a number of organisations to identify whether rolling
out VR in prison settings might prove beneficial in the rehabilitation
and education of young offenders. He also recently met with former
Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Kenny MacAskill, to talk in depth
about the project.
Billy explained: "VR is a trojan horse - it's not the message, it's
the delivery system. A lot of kids we've worked with have had very
limited life experiences. They've never had the chance to travel
abroad or experience new things.
"With VR, we're able to offer young people the chance to
experience settings like job interviews, but with the added benefit
of being in a safe environment where the stakes aren't real. It's a
place where they can 'fail' without fear of being judged, and build
resilience. This is something that I'm really keen to investigate
further in terms of how we can introduce VR to young offenders'
institutions."
Having seen first-hand the real impact that VR has on the lives
of children from various backgrounds, it's no wonder that Billy is
keen to see this technology used to help rehabilitate and upskill
young people who've entered into the prison system.
"We've worked with kids who have a wide range of developmental
problems, and it's incredibly rewarding to see the positive effect
VR has had on their lives. I've seen a child with autism, who is
non-verbal, experience VR and all of a sudden they start to talk.
It's so rewarding." ❒
QMYOU / Health & Rehabilitaion
19