Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, youth unemployment has been growing with increased risks of social exclusion. Vocational rehabilitation helps young people to plan their future and find their way into education and working life. New methods based on the needs of young people are needed for youth vocational rehabilitation, whose target group is young people aged 16–29. This article describes the design and development process of a virtual reality escape game for vocational rehabilitation. The study uses a design-based research methodology. As a result of the research process, a new and innovative tool, an escape game played with a virtual headset and controllers, was developed for young people needing support with life management skills. The results of testing sessions held as part of the process showed that young people, social workers and rehabilitation professionals found gaming useful for vocational rehabilitation. As a practical implication, the virtual reality escape game can be used with young people to identify and develop life management, study and work skills. However, more research is needed on its use and effectiveness in vocational rehabilitation.

The review explored how serious games are utilized for preventing adolescents’ social exclusion. Four original articles were retrieved using six databases. The use of serious games to prevent adolescents’ social exclusion was rare, but there are potential areas where serious games could be utilized. Serious games may be a promising new intervention to use in adolescents’ social rehabilitation and social work, preventing social exclusion, reducing the risk of unemployment, lack of education and training. These early findings suggest using serious games as a part of adolescents’ social work and social rehabilitation to prevent social exclusion among adolescents, along with other methods.