Better policy through virtual reality
The ELSA Lab is also investigating how virtual reality can improve policies for poverty and debt relief. “These policies are usually based on statistics and drawn up by policymakers who have no sense of what it’s actually like to struggle with poverty or debt,” Brüggen says. The researchers are working to develop a VR experience that will enable policymakers to experience for themselves what someone with financial problems is up against.
That is why the ELSA Lab is currently developing two VR experiences, specifically for policymakers. By putting on a VR headset, policymakers experience for themselves the challenges faced by a family with financial difficulties: an unexpected car repair, higher energy bills, a school trip to Rome, a letter from a bailiff … all while there is no money available.During the testing phase, policy officers indicated that the stress and panic experienced by the family were clearly palpable. They also realised that they tend to think in terms of solutions very quickly. This is because they themselves are very familiar with all the relevant laws and regulations. Through the VR experience, they discover that these solutions are far from obvious for people living in poverty. They do not know where to turn for help.
It is expected that the VR experiences can be rolled out to municipalities after the summer of 2026. Brüggen: “Our hope is that VR will foster more understanding and empathy among policymakers, and that this will ultimately be reflected in the policies.”
