Published by Sue Johns-Chapman
Published Date 26.09.2024 
We’re thrilled to announce that Cornerstone VR has been shortlisted for the Tech for Good Award at the 2024 UK Business Tech Awards!
This recognition is a testament to our team’s hard work, passion, and dedication to creating immersive, impactful Virtual Reality (VR) films to support professionals, carers, and the children and young people they work with. It’s an honour to see how far we’ve come and to have our efforts acknowledged on such a prestigious platform.
Serena Hadi, our Head of Operations and Practice at Cornerstone VR said: “This award shortlisting is a testament to our commitment to empowering professionals with the tools they need to provide the highest quality care.”
“Our VR experiences go beyond traditional training methods, fostering empathy and understanding in a way that truly resonates. We’re excited to continue pushing the boundaries of immersive learning and driving positive change across health, education and social care.“
“We’re grateful that awards like this exist and allow businesses like ours to showcase the difference we’re making. We encourage other companies to participate in awards like the UK Business Tech Awards—not only for the recognition but to foster a community of innovators who are dedicated to making the world a better place through technology.”
Our journey to this moment has been powered by a commitment to making a difference in the lives of vulnerable children and young people, and we’re beyond excited to share more about the work that got us here.
About Cornerstone VR: Impact Through Immersive Storytelling
Cornerstone VR was founded in 2015 with one clear mission: to make a meaningful impact in the lives of vulnerable children and young people. With a firsthand experience in social care, we saw an opportunity to harness the power of VR to tell stories that need to be told — stories that matter.
Our films don’t just show a scenario; they immerse the viewer in the real-life experiences of young people. Through our trauma-informed VR content, audiences can step into the shoes of a child or young person, experiencing their world and their emotions firsthand. These are not just films; they’re a journey through a young person’s perspective, highlighting how their environments affect their mental and emotional well-being.
We are proud to say that our VR content is used by nearly 50% of local authorities across the UK, alongside fostering and adoption agencies, children’s residential homes, schools, the NHS, police forces, and other organisations. It’s been amazing to see how our work has helped professionals across sectors better understand the challenges young people face.
Our content follows children from pre-birth to adolescence, shining a light on the trauma, neglect, and societal issues they may encounter. By providing this immersive experience, we help raise awareness, build empathy, and drive better decision-making in the services that support them.
Our Work in Action: Raising Awareness about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
One of our most impactful recent projects we’ve worked on was a collaboration with Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) to create a VR film raising awareness about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). It was shocking to learn that 2-4% of people in the UK are affected by FASD, a condition that is often misdiagnosed or overlooked.
We knew we had a responsibility to ensure our film not only educated viewers but did so in a sensitive and balanced way. Collaborating with the National Organisation for FASD and Professor Raja Mukherjee, a leading expert on FASD, we reproduced our existing film ‘In-Utero’ to deliver this important message.
What made this project particularly special was the involvement of a young woman with FASD, who provided the voiceover from a baby’s perspective.
Georgia Roberts is a passionate advocate on the Advisory Committee for the National Organisation for FASD.
Her narration brought a deeply personal and authentic element to the film, making it not just educational, but profoundly moving.
The impact of this work was felt almost immediately. In a webinar delivered by Cornerstone VR and Cambridgeshire Virtual School, one participant shared how, after watching the film, they re-examined a child’s history and identified previously overlooked signs of FASD.
This discovery opened up a new support network for that child—a tangible, life-changing result of our work.
Special Thanks to Our Clients and Partners
We want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to our partners, clients and supporters. Your trust, collaboration, and belief in our mission have been essential to getting us to where we are today. We couldn’t have achieved this recognition without you.
What’s next?
As we look ahead to the 2024 UK Business Tech Awards ceremony, we’re not slowing down.
Our next big focus is a series of trauma-informed VR films centred around knife crime and serious youth violence.
These films aim to shift the narrative around why young people feel compelled to carry knives, helping to raise awareness of the deeper societal issues that lead to such decisions.
Through these new projects, we’re continuing to use VR to give a voice to those who often go unheard, creating a lasting impact and driving meaningful change.
Stay tuned for more updates as we head towards the awards night and thank you once again for supporting us on this incredible journey!
For more information, contact us at info@cornerstonevr.co.uk or visit www.cornerstonevr.co.uk
