A Mile in Their Shoes

A Mile in Their Shoes is a narrative platforming game about siblings of children and young people with life-limiting conditions. The game was developed between January and May 2021 as a collaboration between Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS), Abertay University, and Little Pioneers.

The game tells the story of Flint, a teenager whose younger sister is suffering from a life-shortening condition. Flint attends meetings with Judy, a support worker at CHAS, who listens to him and takes his feelings seriously when he feels no one else will. Confiding in Judy, Flint guides her through his recent experiences in the form of an elaborate environment from his imagination, which reacts to the ongoing conversation in the real world. You must walk a mile in his shoes as you jump through obstacle courses, escape from his bully, and make difficult choices that reflect his turbulent life.

The story told in A Mile in Their Shoes is a combination of various experiences shared by siblings of children and young people that have received different levels of care and support from CHAS such as counselling, respite, spiritual support, and bereavement support. The game was designed to raise awareness of the physical, mental, and emotional challenges experienced by young people as part of their day-to-day lives.

Click here to watch a video about the design and development of A Mile In Their Shoes.

To donate to CHAS, please visit chas.org.uk/donate.