fit4compliance – find your VALUES – the game about anti-corruption, integrity and values

Countries

Austria

Policy areas

Organisation name Austrian Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption

Contact person: Sandra Brinnich

BMI-III-BAK-1-1@bak.gv.at

The Austrian Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAK) gives great importance to addressing and analysing personal and societal values. A key element, particularly in the field of corruption prevention, is promoting integrity to avoid misconduct. To expand the offer in this field, the BAK has developed a (non-electronic) game about values: ‘Fit 4 compliance – find your VALUES’.
Its focus is on discussing dilemma situations and addressing the issue of values such as integrity. Particular emphasis has been placed on the game’s practical relevance to enable the target group to apply lessons learned to their everyday lives. In addition to conducting criminal investigations, the BAK has the statutory obligation to take preventive measures and promote integrity. For the BAK, this includes carrying out training courses on corruption prevention as well as offering awareness-raising activities.

Due to its measures and programmes related to the promotion of integrity and prevention of corruption, the BAK has recognised the need to address and analyse personal and societal values. Therefore, the emphasis has shifted to providing values education to adolescents, the more so because addressing and teaching moral concepts contributes to preventing misconduct and corrupt acts.
By playing, the target group of the game – the adolescents – will reflect intensively on, and take a critical look at, the issue of values. Moreover, the game aims to support young people in living their lives on the basis of positive values and moral concepts, and thus taking an active part in shaping the society.

The BAK deliberately chose this type of non-electronic game as it ensures a specific sustainability in focusing on values. The game is designed for up to seven players. At the beginning they are given the opportunity to consider dilemma situations, which are taken from the everyday life of young people, from different positions or perspectives, and to discuss diverse possible solutions. Then, the players have to choose from a list five appropriate values for each of the dilemma situations. A debate follows, to discuss why these values are considered relevant. As all players explain their points of view, everybody can easily comprehend the different understandings of values. The game aims to encourage adolescents to follow positive values and moral concepts as well as to rethink and reflect on their opinions.

During a short planning phase the Austrian Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAK) conceived and then developed the game. After evaluation and adaptation phases they determined the exact flow and structure of the game. The game is designed for three to seven players, including a game master. It is all about arguing from various perspectives in different dilemma situations and finding possible ways to act in or react to morally difficult circumstances. The effect of the method is sustainable if people play the game on a regular basis, during game evenings and other gatherings; this is the recommended use. The dilemma situations proposed by the game encourage reflection, and its eventual goal is actual change in behaviour.

By analysing dilemma situations, the adolescents learn about possible forms of corruption and misconduct, and are made aware of corrupt acts and misconduct. They each develop methods to prevent corruption for themselves, and then discuss them with others. Due to the practice-oriented content of the game, the young people are put in a position to implement the knowledge gained in their everyday lives and thus improve their general ability to act.

A small group of experts developed the game; it is a game of fun, suspense and action with the focus on values such as freedom, solidarity, honesty, responsibility, willingness to achieve and integrity. They found this to be an interesting method to try and prevent corruption. The game about values is primarily aimed at teenagers since it is considered that the development of moral concepts is not yet completed in adolescence and can be positively influenced by discussion and reflection especially at this stage of life.

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