GamCare and YGAM Team up for NI Prevention Program

GamCare joined efforts with the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) to bring an education and support program to Northern Ireland.

Raise Gambling Awareness

The Gambling Harm Prevention Program, a ground-breaking initiative of the YGAM widely supported by members of the gaming industry body Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), features evidence-led workshops and resources to teachers, workers and young people to facilitate awareness of the issues gambling may cause and to help prevent gambling-related harm.

The program which has already been rolled out across England and Wales will now be introduced to Northern Ireland with the mission to safeguard future generations from gambling and gaming-related harms, a move welcomed by Robbie Butler MLA, Chair of the Gambling Related Harm in Stormont, who has campaigned for new laws to address the issue.

“I welcome this social gaming and digital resilience initiative from Youth Work Alliance. When the APG launched our inquiry into how new legislation can reduce gambling related harms, we made it clear that prevention is better than cure.”

Robbie Butler MLA, Chair, Gambling Related Harm, Stormont

Training and Resources

Based in Belfast, the Youth Work Alliance seeks to deliver, in partnership with YGAM, evidence-led training to teachers and youth workers, as well as access to training resources among which primary and secondary age children full curriculum lesson plans and resources for work with youths.

“The stronger gambling laws we are hoping for in Northern Ireland need to be backed up by better education to stop harm before it occurs. So therefore, it is hugely encouraging to see the Youth Work Alliance working with YGAM and GamCare to educate and support our young people.”

Robbie Butler MLA, Chair, Gambling Related Harm, Stormont

The YGAM was founded in 2014 by Lee Willows, following the personal experience with gambling related harm of founder patrons Anne and Keith Evans. Speaking about the expansion of the initiative to Northern Ireland, Willows said:

“Having seen first-hand the impact that our work has had in the places we have already rolled out the National Gambling Education Programme in partnership with GamCare, I am thrilled that we are now able, with the support of Youth Work Alliance, to start delivering the programme in Northern Ireland.”

Lee Willows, Founder and CEO, YGAM

GamCare CEO Anna Hemmings noted the expansion of the program into Northern Ireland is a great step forward, outlining that the challenges in front of young people when dealing with gambling harm are the same regardless of their place of living.

“The Young People’s Gambling Harm Prevention Programme will give young people in Northern Ireland the opportunity to explore how gambling might be affecting them in a safe and trusted environment, giving them the tools to make good decisions.”

Anna Hemmings, CEO, GamCare

GamCare’s commitment to dealing with gambling harm was the center of one of its latest initiative. In November, in collaboration with LAB, City University and Ignition House, the charity launched a new research on online gambling vulnerabilities.