Using virtual technology to give youth a voice

The Korean Committee for UNICEF provided virtual spaces for 180 children from 63 Korean CFCs across the country to gather and develop policy proposals on mental health. The use of Metaverse, a VR platform, enabled the NatCom to connect with children across the country, breaking down geographical barriers and overcoming social distancing while keeping them engaged in the project. 

The children urged policymakers to invest in mental health promotion and education, create an environment where children feel comfortable talking about mental health issues, provide spaces and support to deal with stress, take measures for prevention and early intervention in excessive immersion such as mobile phone and social media, establish family support programs to facilitate positive parenting and communication within the family, and actively cooperate to solve children's mental health problems caused by bullying and school violence. 

Despite the COVID-19's negative impact on the chance and scope of child participation nationwide, virtual reality was able to induce a pleasant platform for child participation, tailored to the child's eye level and interests.