Leeds 2023, WOW - Women of the World, Four and The Space have collaborated to launch a new Digital Interactive Experience that asks users to respond to the question ‘What would a world designed by women and girls look like?’

Digital studio Four worked with a group of Year 8 students aged 12-13 from Trinity Academy, Leeds over three months on the project to create One Way or Another. The game aims to encourage young people to explore gender equality issues by presenting players with a number of scenarios; asking them to answer questions relating to topics including personal safety, attitudes, environment and health.

As users progress through the web-based experience answering questions, statistics from YouGov and information from Ofsted, players will be offered information about initiatives such as The Everyday Sexism project. The questions and responses are intended to provoke conversations about gender issues and highlight the ways in which society is changing.

One Way or Another premiered as part of the Leeds 2023 Year of Culture celebrations in The WOW Barn. The young co-designers demonstrated the experience in person as part of a special schools day on 12 May. The experience is now available online, enabling young people and educators from across the world to explore the issues in an interactive and playable way.

Speaking about the project, Jude Kelly, CEO & Founder of The WOW Foundation said: “We're delighted to be launching One Way Or Another as part of The WOW Barn – we know it's going to provoke many conversations about what a gender equal world might look like. It's especially pertinent that it will launch as one of our project's schools' days before going online for everyone to discover. Young people's voices are always at the heart of WOW Festivals, and this innovative project is a brilliant way to spark imagination. The WOW Foundation exists to build, convene and sustain a global movement that believes a gender equal world is desirable, possible and urgently required and One Way or Another is an exciting way to engage people all around the world."

Kully Thiarai, Creative Director and CEO of LEEDS 2023 said: “We’re thrilled that One Way or Another will be launched at The WOW Barn, one of the signature projects in our Year of Culture. The WOW Barn is all about creating a one of a kind space for women, girls and non-binary people to explore gender equality, and dissect some of the issues we face in our society on a daily basis. This Digital Interactive Play Space will add to those conversations and live on as a legacy, once The WOW Barn has finished.”