Abstract
This project brings together researchers and culturally diverse, under-resourced youth to develop a programme that combines virtual reality and live performance to tackle the racial inequalities, discrimination and disadvantage faced by young people in Newham through building their confidence and resilience, including children who are in care. Building on our ongoing collaboration with Newham Council’s Youth Empowerment Service, and having obtained insights from formal pre-trial development work through the Ethnoacting in VR: DIY Soft Skills Development multi-project (see https://cordap.uel.ac.uk/organization/ethnoacting-in-vr-diy-soft-skills-development) we will co-create a Growth Mindset Intervention (GMI) where participants step into VR environments and speak the real words of inspiring role models, from global figures like Nelson Mandela to local residents who have overcome wellbeing challenges. Early pilots show that this approach helps teenagers see failure as part of growth. Funding will let us expand and evaluate the programme, comparing it to traditional approaches, offering a culturally relevant, evidence-based tool for education and wellbeing and contribute to the emerging field of GMIs, which has already shown positive impact in reducing depression and aggressive reactions to social exclusion (Jiang et al. 2024: 251).
Drawing on the recommendations of the most recent systematic review of Growth Mindset Interventions (GIM), our project will answer the following questions to contribute to the existing gap (Jiang 2024: 268):
Impact on young people
1. Growth mindset: Does repeated participation in Ethnoacting in VR increase participants’ growth-mindset scores (e.g., ability to view intelligence and talent as developable)?
2. Resilience and confidence: How does the intervention affect self-reported resilience, confidence in public speaking, and willingness to embrace challenge or failure?
3. Mental-health indicators: Are there measurable changes in wellbeing (e.g., reduced anxiety about failure) after the programme?
Intervention design
4. How do VR immersion and ethnoacting work together to influence motivation and perspective-taking?
5. Which elements (role-model testimony, cultural relevance, interactive VR features) are most critical to engagement and impact?
6. How can the experiential, VR and creative elements complement the typical approach of classroom delivery (which usually involves reading, writing and discussion)?
Cultural relevance and equity
6. Does co-design with racially and culturally diverse youth increase a sense of belonging and identification with role models?
7. How does the intervention support equity in educational and career aspirations for young people from under-resourced communities?
Implementation and scalability
8. What practical factors (facilitation style, session length, technical requirements) affect fidelity, accessibility, and sustainability in youth-service settings?
9. Can the programme be adapted for other UK regions or different age groups while maintaining effectiveness?
These questions allow both quantitative (pre/post surveys, validated scales) and qualitative (focus groups, observational notes) evaluation, creating a robust evidence base for wider adoption.
Impact will be measured with the Implicit Theory of Intelligence Scale, Beliefs About Social Mobility Scale, and the “Kind of Person” Implicit Theory Scale. Quantitative data will be analysed with analysis of variance (ANOVA). Qualitative data from focus groups and participant observation during VR development and after the intervention will be coded and categorised in NVivo. Focus groups (n = 12-13) will ensure every participant has a voice.
The qualitative element extends beyond data collection to a genuine collaboration, centring young people’s creativity and inviting them to become catalysts for improving the lives of their peers. All sessions will be filmed both for observational analysis and to produce a short documentary for dissemination.