Powered by Women in Esports and supported by Sunderland City Council, Be The Change summit returns to Sundland City Hall on Thursday 21 November. Building upon on success of the 2023 Summit, Be the Change is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at advancing diversity, equity and inclusivity not only in the esports industry, but in society as a whole. This year’s theme is ‘Educating’ and the idea is to improve long-term improvement in underrepresentation through clear education that addresses diversity and inclusivity in esports.
ESG Gaming Founder, Lee Willows, will be joining a panel which will examine the challenges and solutions related to providing equitable access to education for all. The panel will help delegates better understand topics such as building the bridge to the digital divide and addressing socio-economic disparities. Lee will contribute insight and lived experience, being a gay man and establishing ESG Gaming. This is a not-for-profit organisation which has a social purpose to work with partners to understand how esports and virtual reality might reduce loneliness and social isolation; reduce the risk factors for dementia and provide education to reduce the risks of a stroke. Much of the work at ESG Gaming is aimed at people over the age of 50 years old and it help to bridge the intergenerational knowledge gap between young and older consumers of gaming.
ESG Gaming has a number of funded workshops available for organisations based in Sunderland and he'll be sharing how delegates can become involved in supporting the work of the organisation, providing immediate action as an output from the summit.