At Game to Grow, we believe in the power of games to foster connection and build community. Our mission has always been to use games to help individuals grow, but in recent months, we’ve taken this a step further by supporting professionals who can extend this impact even further into their own communities. One exciting way we’re doing this is through our partnership with the Washington State Libraries, where we’ve been training librarians to use tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) to foster community and combat loneliness and isolation.
In a time when so many people are experiencing increased feelings of loneliness and disconnection, we’re helping librarians become facilitator game masters, not just game masters. Why the distinction? Traditional game masters might focus on the rules and control of the game, but our goal is different. We want these community leaders to embrace flexibility, collaboration, and spontaneity—qualities that transform a simple game session into a powerful tool for connection and growth.
From Intimidation to Inspiration: Empowering New Facilitators
For many of the librarians we worked with, the idea of running an RPG felt daunting. The learning curve to become an effective game master can seem steep, filled with rules and expectations. To help ease these concerns, we provided a few hours of video content before the workshop, covering the basics of RPGs and how to play. This allowed the entire in-person workshop to focus on experiential learning and community building through play.
Throughout the workshops, held in Battle Ground, Kennewick, Spokane, Everett, and Seattle, Washington, we used a structure that encouraged participants to reflect on their learning after each activity. After playing a few applied improv games to warm up, set the tone, and focus on collaborative storytelling, the librarians had a chance to lead short segments of RPG adventures from the Critical Core box set, including The Little Town of Tusk, The Festival of the Birds, and The Age of Green. We also introduced The Great Garganoff’s Chaos Quest, an adventure used in Game to Grow’s Hospital Gaming Program.
Each participant then completed the sentence “As a facilitator game master I will…” on post-its and added them to a whiteboard. These responses captured the spirit of what they were learning. Comments like “I will embrace the chaos!” and “I will encourage my players to take ownership with unique ideas” showed their growing confidence and enthusiasm for their role as community leaders.
Building Confidence and Embracing New Roles
The feedback from these workshops was overwhelmingly positive. Many librarians shared that the experience helped them feel more confident and capable of running RPG sessions in their libraries. One participant noted, “The training really gave me the confidence and skills to feel like I could do this successfully.” Another said, “I feel a lot more confident in my ability to run a campaign without prior experience, something that before I was very anxious at the thought of.”
For those who were initially apprehensive, the workshops provided the tools and encouragement they needed to move past their fears: “This is exactly
what we needed to feel confident going forward. It provided both practical training as well as great info to explain it’s value to others.” Another described the workshop as “the most fun I’ve ever had at work!” By the end of the day, participants were not just thinking about how to run a game—they were thinking about how to create spaces where their communities could come together, laugh, and grow through storytelling.
Expanding the Reach: Impacting Communities Across the State
Training around 100 librarians means that hundreds more individuals across the state will have access to these creative and engaging RPG programs. Librarians who participated in the workshops left with the confidence and skills to implement these sessions in their libraries, fostering community and connection in new and innovative ways.
One librarian remarked, “I thought it was a wonderful workshop. I love Game to Grow’s approach to RPGs and the priorities they set for the game. So often it’s easy to think the rules and mechanics are the primary component of the game, but once you start playing you come to realize that it’s about teamwork and imagination and creativity. I love that the training centered belonging, community building, and autonomy as outcomes of playing TTRPGs in libraries.”
Looking Ahead: Supporting Future Community Leaders
We’re thrilled to see the impact of these workshops and the potential they hold for communities across the state. Empowering librarians to use games as a tool for community building is just one way we’re expanding our mission. We’re moving beyond individual service to support professionals who can make a difference in their own unique contexts, from libraries to hospitals and beyond.
If you’re as inspired as we are by the power of games to connect and uplift, we invite you to support our work. You can:
- Explore Critical Core: Learn more about the RPG system used in our workshops at criticalcore.org.
- Donate to Support Future Trainings: Your contribution can help us continue to provide these transformative experiences. Donate here.
- Stay Tuned: Join the Newsletter for updates on upcoming training opportunities and new ways to engage.
Together, we can create more inclusive, connected communities through the power of play.