Reconnecting with society and employment thanks to video games, the bet of “gaming houses”

At the end of December 2024, there were nearly ten young people between 16 and 25 years old, looking for work, who passed through the doors of the “gaming house” in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, in New Aquitaine. This “video game house” in French aims to help young people who are withdrawn into themselves to reconnect with the outside world thanks to one of their passions: technological innovation.

You may have already heard of “gaming house” a few years ago. These did not pursue the same goal as the one opened in Villeneuve-sur-lot, in New Aquitaine, in June 2024. When they arrived in France the “video game houses” were meeting places for online gaming enthusiasts, coming from all over Europe to create teams “athletes-gaming.”

Today, the “gaming house“are used for the socio-professional integration of young people in difficulty, in the world of work and in society. That of Villeneuve-sur-Lot is the fourth system of this type opened in France. Funded by the European Union, it is set up by the local Villeneuvoise mission, to help young people integrate into working life, through their passion for technological innovation. Because everything does not come down to “playing together.”

Firstly, young job seekers reconnect with other people their age by interacting face to face with those who share the premises of this particular house. Then, they can practice using the virtual reality headset to: “do as in real life.” A solution for young people who are sometimes anxious, who have difficulty taking steps, alone, to find training or a future job.

This is what Carine Gautier, advisor at the local employment mission in Villeneuve-sur-Lot, explains: “Young people sometimes lack reference points and experience in the field. Thanks to this virtual reality headset, they can safely experience situations they will face during their job search: such as taking a train, a bus, book a carpool, or find your way on Google map with their smartphone.

These are things that young people from big cities know and practice better than those from rural areas, like here in Villeneuve-sur-Lot. They too, after that, will have a feeling of déjà vu.

Carine Gautier

Advisor to the local employment mission in Villeneuve-sur-Lot

Among the young people present to discuss their professional career with their advisor, we find Léa Sperandio. The 22-year-old young woman aspires to become an upholsterer seamstress, but had become cut off from society. She then found this way to gradually reconnect with the world around her. “There was a moment when I needed to regain my sociability”she admits.
“Here, I play Minecraft, we can build buildings, houses, castles… It helps me develop my creativity and my reactivity. I’m working on my clothing and upholstery design project alongside video games.“, she explains.

Lucas Louloum, a 21-year-old aspiring landscaper, does not have the same background as the young woman: “I came from Pôle emploi following an apprenticeship in masonry. I worked in construction but I wanted to retrain and I didn’t really know how to get started, he justifies. So I came here because I really like computers and the concept really interested me. I wanted to see how it would go. Not to mention that on a basic level, I speak to few people and the gaming house therefore allows me to meet other young people of my age, in a situation very similar to mine.”

The first integration “gaming house” was opened in France, in 2022 in Aix-en-Provence. The concept is the same as that of Lot-et-Garonne, to reconnect young people withdrawn into themselves with society and work, while not at first giving the impression of working. Since the young people directed by the local mission to these specific places know that their first mission will be to be comfortable and this involves playing online for most of them.

We could soon have around ten establishments like this throughout France.