- Virgin Media O2 partnered with national disability charity Sense in May 2024 to help close the loneliness gap
- Polling unveiled that disabled people are more than twice as likely to be chronically lonely than non-disabled people, with research highlighting that over half of disabled people feel lonely every day
- Research by Virgin Media O2 also found that 76% of disabled gamers feel gaming has changed their life for the better by generating connections online and benefiting their mental health
- As part of the ongoing partnership, Virgin Media O2 organised a gaming day like no other at Virgin Media Gamepad, one of the UK’s most accessible gaming spaces
- The gaming day with Sense aimed to tackle chronic loneliness experienced by disabled people
- Find imagery here
Virgin Media O2, in partnership with disability charity, Sense, is tapping into the power of gaming to help address chronic loneliness experienced by disabled people.
New research reveals gaming can help close the loneliness gap for disabled gamers, with 80% saying it makes them feel less lonely and isolated, with more than three quarters (77%) stating it helps them connect with others and build friendships.
In addition, more than 9 in 10 (92%) disabled gamers say they’ve found an online community through gaming, generating lasting friendships which they’ve held for more than five years.
More than two thirds of disabled gamers (68%) feel more confident making friends online than in real life, with 78% sharing that they feel less judgement with their gaming community existing in a virtual world compared to the real world. Indeed, more than three quarters (76%) feel gaming has changed their life for the better.
Gaming experience
It comes as Virgin Media O2 and Sense held a dedicated gaming day for disabled players at Virgin Media Gamepad, the fully accessible gaming destination in London on Thursday (17 October).
The event provided a new opportunity for people that Sense supports with a passion for video games to experience a day of immersive and accessible gaming. Disabled participants played for prizes, tried new games and met new people, all supported by staff and volunteers from Virgin Media O2.
Virgin Media O2 and Sense are working together to create lasting and meaningful friendships between the company’s workforce and disabled people, as part of the charity’s ‘Virtual Buddying’ service.
Virgin Media O2’s employees used part of their five annual paid volunteering days to attend the event at Gamepad.
Virgin Media Gamepad, the accessible gaming space housed in The O2 arena in London, offers people the opportunity to play hundreds of different video games for free in group settings and through its 16 individual gaming pods. The space is step-free and wheelchair-friendly throughout, and also features adaptive controllers for people with limited mobility and light-adjustable sensory breakout spaces.
Amongst building connections online, the survey shared that disabled gamers also felt the overwhelming benefits of gaming to their mental health, with 96% stating it had a positive impact. The benefits experienced include:
- 66% – helping to relax
- 59% – making friendships and feeling less lonely
- 49% – creating a feeling of accomplishment when completing tasks/levels
- 22% – providing a place for self-expression
Gareth Griffiths, Director, Partnerships and Sponsorship at Virgin Media O2, said: “Gaming has the power to create connections and build communities, and that’s why we at Virgin Media want to help tackle the loneliness gap experienced by disabled players. Our role within gaming is to remove barriers, ensuring gamers can play without limits and bring people together, which is what our partnership with Sense is all about.”
The event is part of the ongoing partnership between Virgin Media O2 and Sense, who joined forces in May 2024 to help tackle chronic loneliness experienced by disabled people.
Richard Kramer, Chief Executive at Sense, said: “This event is an important milestone in Sense’s partnership with Virgin Media O2, which aims to tackle the chronic loneliness that too many disabled people face. Disabled people often tell us they feel prevented from socialising because so much of the world is inaccessible to them, so this event will be a great opportunity for people to make friends, try new things and immerse themselves in their passion for gaming in a fully accessible space.”
Case study: ‘Gaming has got me through a lot of hard times’
[Pictured: Marc Hill]
Marc is a keen gamer who loves playing truck and car games, which he says help him with his mental health.
Marc has complex disabilities including cerebral palsy, curvature of the spine, a blood clot on the brain and complex mental health conditions. These disabilities and health conditions mean that Marc finds it difficult to leave the house – he doesn’t go out often, just for hospital and doctors’ appointments and never for socialising.
“I like playing games because I can focus on the game and shut out my anxieties, sing along to the game music. Gaming has got me through a lot of hard times in my life. It’s a coping mechanism for me.
I wanted to attend the gaming event with Virgin Media O2 and Sense to get out of my comfort zone. It’s been amazing and the Gamepad staff were generous, kind and so welcoming.
I usually don’t like big groups and being in a loud room but I’m zoning in on my game and I can’t wait to come back!”
Marc lives alone and has carers in five times a day. It was his carers who applied on Marc’s behalf to Sense’s virtual buddying programme, which pairs disabled people and volunteers together in an effort to combat loneliness. The virtual buddying team at Sense are currently working on finding the perfect volunteer match for Marc.
Members of the public can find out more about the virtual buddying programme here.
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