FAQs

What is Minecraft?

Minecraft is a sandbox game developed by Mojang, based on exploration and building within a blocky 3D world. Players have all of Minecraft’s infinite terrain to discover and extract resources, craft tools, raise pets, and build structures. As one of the top-selling games of all time, Minecraft has captured the imagination of millions.

Why Minecraft?

Research studies completed over the past three years support a hypothesis many parents and educators have: video games are powerful, low risk environments that help neurodivergent kids develop and practice their social skills. 

In one study that investigated online gaming engagement among 85 individuals with ASD between 14 and 60 years of age, and a control group of 71 participants without ASD, results indicated that individuals who engaged in online games had more friends than those who did not. Researchers found that screen-based media and online games enhanced social interactions, promoted strong social relationships and led to decreased loneliness. 

The Katapult team has also witnessed firsthand the positive impact of Minecraft-based play on kids, their confidence, and their relationships with peers. We’ve chosen Minecraft as the foundation for the Katapult community because: 

• Minecraft is a rule based environment where everything has a process, making the game straightforward to understand. Yet, the game is flexible enough to encourage creativity, self-expression and exploration. 

• The physicality of in-game Minecraft avatars complement moderated Zoom calls to give participants a stronger sense of community and connection. 

• The Minecraft environment is highly customizable to fit the specific needs of each group and easily enforce safety rules. We’ve taken advantage of this capability to create different thematic worlds for participants to experience. 

How does Katapult prepare participants for the program?

We understand no two individuals are the same, and that everyone can have “bad days”. As such we start and end each session with a “rose and thorn” check-in; this helps establish awareness among participants about each other’s emotional state and energy levels, informing how they interact with each other. These check-ins are also opportunities for participants to practice emotional awareness with their peers and share their excitements or doubts — both of which are crucial to forming a safe and supportive community.

What kind of safety precautions does Katapult take?

We understand the challenges and concerns that come with navigating a virtual space. Our team has put in place safety measures to ensure the safety of all our participants.

Each sessions will be hosted and facilitated by two trained program staff at all times to moderate play between the participants. Participants will meet on a private Zoom call, accessible only by invitation and password, and every session will be recorded. To access our server, each participant will need to be placed on the server whitelist. All interaction and dialogue on the server are also logged and documented. We seek to maintain ongoing dialogue with parents to ensure everyone’s needs are met, and to communicate any problems that may occur.