February 1, 2023
Two nonprofits, Experience Camps and Connected Camps, and University of California, Irvine have joined forces to create a Minecraft server that connects and supports students who have experienced loss.
The ExperienceCraft server is not all that different from other Minecraft multiplayer servers. Children who join ExperienceCraft can build, chat, play, and share with one another across a wide variety of in-game activities. But those who participate have all had one unfortunate experience that ties them together.
The server was launched in the summer of 2022 to provide a safe, moderated, grief-aware online community that fosters connection year-round in a digital space. A significant research component helps educators better understand how to develop youth-centered, equitable, and safe online experiences. The server moderators are college students, who are trained to support children experiencing grief and provide near-peer mentorship.