More and more social services are incorporating virtual reality as a tool for social intervention. This technology makes it possible to create fully immersive and interactive digital environments where people can see, hear, and interact with elements that are not physically present, using headsets, goggles, or other devices.

Virtual reality can be used both in professional training—to strengthen skills related to support and empathy—and in direct intervention, to work on aspects such as memory, anticipation, identity, and life stories, among others. These practices support a shift in care models, moving from approaches based on explanation and external observation to experiential methodologies that place the person at the center.

At the same time, however, virtual reality raises important discussions about the boundaries and conditions of its use, with particular attention to accessibility, the suitability for each person’s characteristics, and ethical issues such as data protection.

In this webinar, we will explore two initiatives that are advancing and consolidating the use of virtual reality in social care and professional training:

• Immersive Experience Training Platform – Embodied Labs (United States): uses virtual reality to provide experiential training for professionals in the social and healthcare fields. Through simulations based on real-life situations, participants can experience firsthand the challenges faced by the people they support.

• VIA Project – Intress (Catalonia): uses virtual reality to work on the life stories of individuals receiving support. By creating different scenarios within a metaverse environment, accessed through 3D glasses, the project simulates situations that help initiate psychoeducational processes, facilitating the reconstruction of memories, places, and significant moments.

SEPAKERS:

Erin Washington, Co-founder (Embodied Labs).

Lali Gil, Project Manager (Intress)

Meritxell Campmajó, Head of Justice, Communities and New Opportunities (Intress)