International Day of People with Disability

1 Dec

‘Transformative solutions for inclusive development: the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world’

You asked, and we listened! DAS is getting serious about our Dungeon and Dragons (DnD), and we think it really showcases the theme for IDPwD 2022 – and we are here to explain how!!!

Whether you are an old timely player, or new to the scene (maybe since Stranger Things??); DnD has proven to be very popular in 2022! We are currently starting 3 new campaigns and even have a waitlist, we are trying to keep up with you guys!

10 reasons why we think DnD is so good?

1: It’s hella fun! At the end of the day, it’s just a game, right?!

2: DnD helps players develop their skills around focus, cooperation with peers, problem-solving, leadership, and risk assessments and even has some maths and science thrown in – you gotta calculate all those hit points and have a strategy to survive!

3: It gives players creative freedom in their character development. This can help players to explore and play around with their identity which may translate to how they see, or wish they saw, themselves in real life (IRL). If you tend to be slightly introverted, your character might be a changeling bard who can transform themselves into another race and perform a one-man show for the entertainment of the king! Or you might be a nature lover, so your character will be a druid who is one with nature and can build your dream garden in the party’s secret hideout. The options are literally endless.

4: It helps players explore real-life situations through a version of something called “drama therapy”. It aims to break down the anxiety of confronting real-life issues by exploring similar situations in role play. This can help players to build confidence and learn new ways to express themselves – a version of emotional regulation and we can all use more of that!

5: DnD challenges players to work together with characters that they may not morally align with – great for those conflict resolution skills! If a player annoys you, you can choose to use them as Dragon food, or you can make it work- cause if you serve them up for dinner, you’re down a player which makes future ventures harder (also means you might be dessert!). It also teaches players that if their character is a shifty rogue that’s always stealing from friends or causing trouble in taverns, then people won’t want to work with them to help achieve their goals. Everyone has value in your team, and learning to work together helps players develop team-building skills that assist with many everyday situations like in the workplace.

6: When you play DnD – you get to impact the world in whatever way you morally align. In a world full of fires, floods and COVID pandemics, we can feel very powerless and out of control. DnD gives players an opportunity to provide a positive (or negative? Your choice!) input into a world to impact the future. This has been shown to help players feel more impactful in both their DnD world and their real world in a more hopeful way.

7: DnD provides players with both community and inclusion – both of these are protective factors in developing resilience against long-term mental health concerns – people who have a sense of belonging tend to be more resistant to issues like bullying and give players friendships to safely navigate hard life situations.

8: DnD is a great way of battling social isolation – it helps players to develop in and out-of-game friendships; helping players to develop their support network with people who have similar interests.

9: In a world that keeps spinning and throwing challenges at us, DnD provides an alternate universe where we can press pause to allow players to process and talk out actions with their adventure team. This is also helping players to appreciate the importance of consenting to character actions which are excellent for showing respect for others in our real life. It also helps characters to consider how our decisions have consequences in a safe environment.

10: DnD gives players the time and control to take up space in their world – both in DnD and in real life. If this is the one thing we can help a player do, we will be stoked cause what an amazing way to develop self-esteem and worth.

BUT – that’s enough from us, what do our people think?

What do you get out of DnD?

“The sheer thrill of the game and our adventures” – Dylan

“The storytelling” – Elliot

“Having a consistent weekly time to see my friends and adventure” – Ben P

“I get enjoyment out of watching people play and the joy it brings” – Ben H

“Being more social and making friends” – Matthew T

What would you say to someone looking to start playing?

“Do some research before you start to learn some of the basics” – Ben H

“Prepare to be hooked” – Dylan

“The rules don’t matter as long as you’re having fun” – Elliot

“Do it” – Matt T