The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is the membership organisation for Scotland's charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. Charity registered in Scotland SC003558. Registered office Caledonian Exchange, 19A Canning Street, Edinburgh EH3 8EG.
ClimatACTical: Building Climate Confidence Through Play
A practical game for everyday decisions in the third sector
During early playtesting, we watched groups debate choices, change their minds, and sometimes realise they wished they had decided differently. Those moments of reflection, laughter, and collective “ah, that’s why it matters” are exactly what ClimatACTical is designed to create. With one week to go until launch, we wanted to share some behind‑the‑scenes insight into how this new gamified learning resource developed, and what it has taught us along the way.
ClimatACTical is an interactive, facilitated game designed for Scotland’s voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. It creates space to step back from day‑to‑day pressures and explore climate action in a practical, low‑pressure way. Through realistic scenarios and shared decision making, players connect climate resilience to organisational mission, everyday operations and long‑term sustainability. No prior climate knowledge is needed.
Building on momentum from Growing Climate Confidence training sessions delivered last year, we reflected on feedback that highlighted a key challenge. While there is strong willingness across the sector to take climate action, organisational capacity for learning is often stretched. This reinforced the need to make climate action relevant to everyday working life, rather than something additional or separate.
With design support from Vertureand Small 99, we explored how this could work in practice, building on existing resources and creating space to signpost to further support where helpful. We would also like to thank everyone involved in early design sessions. Your feedback was invaluable and directly shaped the direction of the resource.
Below are some reflections from the design process that offer a preview of what you can expect from the game.
Why ClimatACTical?
Feedback from across the sector told us that while many organisations are committed to climate action, the way learning is delivered really matters. Time, resources and headspace are limited, and climate issues can often feel complex or disconnected from day‑to‑day roles.
ClimatACTical responds by bringing climate considerations into everyday organisational decisions. It creates space for teams to explore choices together and build shared confidence in a way that feels manageable and grounded in real working contexts.
Learning Through Real‑World Scenarios
It is one thing to be asked to select an action, but it is another to consider that decision within a wider context of events, finances, and organisational priorities. Scenarios create a safe space to test decisions and explore how actions can strengthen an organisation’s mission, open funding opportunities, or reduce the impact of events such as extreme weather.
There is space to make a choice, see the consequences, and recognise where a different option might have led to a better outcome. This encourages learning without judgement and helps players connect individual actions to the wider internal and external context in which organisations operate. Over time, scenarios help make climate conversations part of everyday decision making.
Learning Through Roles and Perspectives
Taking on a persona helps people move climate action plans forward. Many third sector staff or volunteers responsible for developing their climate action plans get stuck once the plan is finished and it needs to be implemented across the whole organisation. As much as ClimatACTical offers ideas for actions organisations could take to cut emissions and adapt, we found that players take as much inspiration from playing in the shoes of another colleague. Helping them to understand what influences decision making in a game setting sparked ideas on how to “pitch” their proposed changes in real life to move from proposal to action.
Adam Bastock, Small 99“Within a short amount of play time, teams began to understand the material climate risks facing organisation’s and to engage meaningfully with what they could do within their own role. This gamified, role‑play approach consistently shifted thinking and embedded understanding more deeply than more traditional training formats we have previously used.”
Why Prototyping and Testing Mattered
Making time and space to test and improve ideas has been central to how this learning resource has developed. Creating and playing physical prototypes allowed us to explore game mechanics, gather insight, and refine the experience as it evolved.
Testing gameplay with different audiences across the sector was critical, helping ensure the game is accessible, engaging, and grounded in the realities of third sector work. As ClimatACTical launches and more people begin to play, we see it as a resource that can continue to grow and evolve, and we welcome feedback to help shape what comes next.
Chiara Fingland, SCVO“For me, a standout moment was seeing how differently the action cards resonated when used within the game rather than as a stand‑alone activity. Hearing people get into character, rehearse their justifications, and build on each other’s ideas was powerful. These moments were always topped with a cheer when preparation meant a group was exempt from an event card. A moment of camaraderie, but also an important reminder of the role relationships plays in organisational decision making.”
What We Learned From Playtesting
Climate change can often feel abstract and far away, tied up in reports and the need for lots of education before knowing how to act. Through designing and testing ClimatACTical, we found a way to make climate action feel fun, practical, and relatable to people across an organisation.
Izi Robe, Verture“A personal highlight was testing the game at scale during the SCVO Gathering 2026, where 50 people from across the sector took part. The session generated brilliant insights and some wholesome moments, including one group who were spotted using a hands‑up voting system to democratically choose the actions they were taking each round. It was refreshing to see a group of strangers deliberate and make decisions so easily in a fun way. We need more of that.”
Get Involved
If you would like to find out more, join us at the online lunchtime launch on 20 May, 12:00 to 12:45, where you will hear more about ClimatACTical and how you can get involved. Keep an eye on our Learn page for information on our upcoming Pop up & Play events!
