A young man from Cornwall who left his home fewer than 10 times in seven years has created a board game to help other isolated young people reconnect with the world. Billy Brown, 24, from Ashton, spent most of his time gaming, in chat rooms and reading about politics, rarely venturing outside except for medical appointments.
Mr Brown's withdrawal began during his A-levels after he broke his ankle, compounded by a difficult childhood during which he was taken into care repeatedly due to his mother's health issues. He dropped out of college and became increasingly immersed in online 'echo chambers', feeling drawn to extremism and cybercrime. He says he lost touch with reality and became suicidal.
After seeking help, Mr Brown joined the Real Ideas Organisation's (RIO) Game Changer programme, which supports young people in developing skills and overcoming barriers to employment or education. Now, 14 months after his first steps outside, he has designed a tabletop game aimed at building social skills. Players meet weekly, earning points by completing real-world challenges between sessions, which they share in an online group.
Kirsty Atkinson, 22, from Pool, who also experienced isolation, took part in a test session and described the game as 'really fun', adding that it helped the group connect. Another player, Ryden Pyrosa, 20, from Pendeen, initially felt anxious but enjoyed the experience. George Hardwick, a consultant with RIO, called it 'wonderful to see young people interacting' and said watching Mr Brown lead the session was emotional.
Mr Brown hopes to develop the game into an app and says it is his way of giving back, aiming to help others before they reach the crisis point he experienced. 'Something had to change, and I don't want people to have to get to that point before they make a change,' he said.
