THE team behind Bradford’s UK City of Culture bid is calling on 11-18-year-olds to take part in a video game turning their neighbourhood into how they would like it to look in future.

Bradford: The Game is one of the ways the 2025 team is engaging with Bradford’s young people in the bidding process before the final bid is submitted later this year.

Leading the project is the Bafta-winning team behind Bradford-based Impact Gamers, which uses game making as a tool to mentor and help young people build confidence and new friendships. Players will guide their chosen character through the different postcodes of the Bradford district, acting as the ‘levels’ of the game, challenged with missions that will transform their area into how they'd like it to be in the future. The game will be playable online on a PC or mobile device, with all levels created by young people available to play. Those who contribute will be given secret password to access their levels immediately in order to show them to friends and family.

Impact Gamers are running an interactive survey in the form of a game where young people can share ideas. They can also submit their ideas via written content and drawings. The game will be built via a simple website, using ‘drag and drop’ blocks to create the different levels, ready to play in May. Those without access to a computer can draw their ideas and send to the Impact Gamers team.

Adam Syrop, founder and programme leader at Impact Gamers, says: “Whether you live in Bradford city centre or out in one of the district’s more rural areas, this is the perfect opportunity for young people to be creative and envision how Bradford can be a better place for its high population of young people. More fitting than typical surveys and discussion panels, it’s a brilliant way for kids to express how they feel about where they live and have fun doing so. There's no need to have any previous experience in gaming or design to get involved with this project - all ideas are very much welcomed.”

May McQuade, Programme and Community Co-ordinator at Bradford 2025 adds: “With 29per cent of its population under 20 and nearly a quarter under 16, Bradford is the youngest city in Europe, so the support and inclusion of our young population is incredibly important as the bid for UK City of Culture 2025 accelerates. I’m really excited to see what ideas the gamers come up with and see their designs for the future of our district.”

As well as individual participants, schools, colleges and groups such as Scouts are invited to get involved.

* To get involved art in the ‘gamified’ survey go to bradford2025.co.uk/game/.