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Z Lab: Design, Psychology and New Needs

Z Lab: Design, Psychology and New Needs

The Z Lab project creates creative workshops designed to enhance children's socio-emotional skills

Numerous studies launched since March 2020 to investigate the effects of the pandemic on young people show that about 1 in 4 children, who have lived in lockdown, may experience feelings of anxiety that can cause lasting psychological discomfort.

The Z Lab laboratories have closely related the disciplines of design and psychology by implementing creative laboratory paths, for the enhancement of socio-emotional skills with a view to providing concrete support to children, families, schools and institutions to cope with the problems and disorders caused by, or accelerated by, the pandemic.

From the project experimentation phase, it emerged how the experience of non-formal teaching activities, expressed within the laboratories, has led to positive results in terms of social, emotional and mental well-being of the children and adults involved. During these workshops, in fact, it was possible to work, whilst having fun, on socio-emotional and creative skills by promoting the active role of children and encouraging forms of educational co-design among the reference adult figures (tutors, teachers, designers and psychologists).

Si tratta di aspetti fondamentali su cui riflettere, che diventano ancora più importanti in questo periodo pandemico in cui l’uncertainty has created levels of unease in many children. 

Z Lab è un progetto di Circolo del Design.
With the scientific partnership of the Dipartimento di Psicologia dell’Università degli Studi di Torino, SE-CREA research group
With the support of Royal Foundation and Borello Supermarkets
With the technical sponsorship of carioca

The experimentation phase was carried out in partnership with the MinD Mad in Design association, Casa Giglio Onlus and Amalgama, with the scientific partnership of the Department of Psychology of the University of Turin, the SE-CREA research group and with the collaboration of Fondazione per la Scuola, and was supported by Reale Foundation and Per Nia Onlus, with the technical sponsorship of Carioca.

La fase di diffusione all’interno degli Istituti scolastici della Città è realizzata in partnership con l’associazione MinD Mad in Design, con la partnership scientifica del Dipartimento di Psicologia dell’Università degli Studi di Torino, SE-CREA research group e con il sostegno di Royal Foundation and Borello, with the technical sponsorship of carioca.