Wilton Ullström’s great passion is video games. Ever since he was little, he has dreamed of creating his own games and working as a game developer. But until this summer, he didn’t know how to get there. Thanks to FCV’s introductory concept, Gamecamp, new doors opened to community and a path forward.
Wilton Ullström is 13 years old and lives in Sollefteå. He has dreamed of becoming a game developer for as long as he can remember. His parents want to help him get closer to his dream but haven’t known where to turn.
– “Wilton has tried to learn how to create games on his own,” says his mother Jessica. “As a parent, it has been hard to guide him. When he got stuck, his father and I were just as lost. Who could we even ask for help?”
As soon as the Gamecamp at Hola Folk High School in Kramfors was confirmed for summer 2024, Jessica signed her son up.
A concept to combat exclusion
The summer camp is free for participants. It provides tools for applying to further studies or approaching the job market in other ways. During the camp, participants receive personal guidance, learn about game development, and play educational games. FCV Sweden has recently developed its own board game, Hot Skills.
A full 97% of participants have, since the concept was created in 2020/2021, gone straight into further studies or other activities.
Part of the group
Wilton spent eight weeks of his otherwise precious summer vacation at Summercamp Hola Folk High School. Afterwards, he thought the camp could have been even longer.
– “Time just flew by. It was great to do what I love and meet awesome people at the same time. I was the youngest, and at first, I was afraid of being left out. But everyone in the group had the same interests, and the atmosphere was really nice. I became part of the gang in no time.”
– “It was one Wilton who went to Summercamp and another Wilton who came back,” says Jessica. “A much more mature guy who takes more responsibility at home and for his relationships, both online and in real life.”
A foundation to build on
Wilton came to the camp to reach a level where he could continue and create games on his own.
– “Now I know what to do. I’ve gotten a foundation to build on and have come a long way. But just as important is that I’ve become more social and dare to open up to new people. I will definitely keep in touch with several of those I met at camp. Maybe we can work on game development together in the future.”
Loneliness can be broken. At FCV Sweden, we ensure the quality of concepts that show young people a way back to community. Contact us if you want to try new ways to combat exclusion.
Read Wilton and his mother Jessica’s letter to FCV Sweden after the Gamecamp in Kramfors below.
Letter from Wilton
I had an amazing summer at Hola Folkhögskola! It was super fun to meet new people and gain more confidence in what I’m passionate about. At first, I was a bit nervous that I might feel left out, but it quickly turned out that everyone there had the same interests, and the atmosphere in both the group and at the school was really great.
My goal with the camp was to learn new things and get to a level where I could continue working on my own. I feel like I’ve made good progress, even though there’s still a lot left to learn. But now, at least, I have a solid foundation to build on.
I really think this camp would suit younger people as well because it can help those who might feel a bit left out or who just love game development to start doing what they enjoy. If I could change one thing, it would be to make the camp longer because these eight weeks just flew by, and it was so much fun to do what I love and meet awesome people at the same time.
I definitely think I’ll stay in touch with some of the people I met. I’ve also become better at being social and more willing to talk to new people, and I realize that I really need to practice presenting my stuff. The pace was good, but I felt a bit stressed since I missed a week. If I’d had a little more time and a group to work with, my final project would have turned out even better. But I really got the support I needed, both from the leaders and the assistants, who were always there to help out.
My advice to others my age who are thinking about trying it: just go for it! Contact the people running it and apply. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know what to expect because you’ll learn along the way. For me, this has been an amazing experience, and I’m proud of what I achieved, even though I was the youngest at the camp.
Letter from Wilton’s mother
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for the opportunity. It was one Wilton I took to Gamecamp and a different Wilton I got back. For as long as I can remember, he’s been interested in games and has tried on his own to learn how to create them.
As a parent (without much understanding of game development), it’s been difficult to guide him, and when he got stuck, we were just as lost as he was. Who can you even ask for help? We’ve asked questions online and, at times, we’ve also paid for online courses, but these either lacked teacher guidance or were at too high or too low a level.
Now Gamecamp has come and gone, and you managed to meet him exactly where he is and helped him get to where he wants to be. Our thirteen-year-old usually prefers sitting in his room playing different computer games, and while he still does that, suddenly we have a boy who feels more mature, more social, and takes more responsibility, both at home and in his relationships (both online and in real life).
The importance of a learning context has become clear to him, and he’s so happy to have spent 8 weeks of his otherwise very valuable summer vacation doing just this.
I believe the greatest part of all of this is that young people, in sharp contrast to compulsory school, are given the chance to choose learning as an activity. What plants the seeds for further exploration of their own possibilities and abilities better than that?
