The Virtual Guardians Foundation was born where young people live, connect, and open up: at the heart of video game communities. If it is now deeply rooted there, it is no coincidence.

For more than ten years, François Savard was at the forefront of these communities, notably through Boreal eSports and Boreal Gaming, which brought together thousands of players across Quebec. What was meant to be a simple hobby became, for many, a true refuge. A place of listening, support, and solidarity.

When Boreal closed its doors in 2016, the limits of informal support became brutally clear. While working on a suicide prevention guide for gaming communities, three realities emerged. Digital issues such as cyberbullying and internet addiction were fueling distress. Crisis situations experienced late at night were not isolated. And above all, there were virtually no resources available directly online.

In the face of this void, standing still was not an option. The Virtual Guardians Foundation was born out of this urgency, driven by volunteers convinced that the Internet must also become a place of prevention and support.

The 2020 pandemic confirmed this intuition. With the Gamers in Quarantine project, hundreds of people broke isolation and rebuilt connections at a critical moment. Since then, one thing has become clear. Online psychosocial intervention is no longer a marginal option. It is essential.