Foster care recruitment through immersive storytelling, using technology to deepen empathy, understanding and commitment.
Becoming a foster parent is not a casual decision. It is a choice that profoundly affects the lives of children and adults alike. Levvel sought to move beyond traditional awareness campaigns by creating an experience that does not explain foster care, but allows people to truly feel what it means.
A 360° VR experience was developed that places participants directly in the role of a foster parent. Wearing a VR headset, users step into a familiar setting: a schoolyard scene inspired by the popular Dutch TV series De Luizenmoeder. Within this everyday context, an emotionally charged interaction unfolds, revealing moments of warmth, uncertainty and unconscious bias.
The production included:
Script development based on real stories from foster parents and children
Casting and direction in recognisable, realistic environments
On-location 360° film production
Campaign framing and VR optimisation
A nationwide tour across schools, community centres and social organisations
The campaign was launched at the Stopera and officially opened by Simone Kukenheim, Alderman for Youth Care of the City of Amsterdam.
Audience reactions were powerful and deeply personal. Participants described the experience as “confronting” and “deeply human.” The core question — Would you become a foster parent? — resonated immediately and stayed with them.
During the launch, foster father Joram Frank captured the essence of the experience:
“It is challenging, but beautiful. These children are the real heroes — daring to start over in a new family.”
This campaign demonstrates how immersive technology can play a meaningful role in addressing complex social challenges. By allowing people to step into another perspective, empathy is strengthened and awareness turns into genuine consideration. Following its launch, the VR experience travelled across the Netherlands as a powerful tool for foster care recruitment.
