According to the latest figures, professionals trained through YGAM and GamCare’s Young People’s Gambling Harm Prevention Programme are expected to reach two million young people.
Both the YGAM and GamCare charities have now trained a combined 24,000 professionals, who will use educational resources and intervention training when teaching young people.
Delegates trained by YGAM and GamCare include teachers and youth workers, all of whom will deliver evidence-based materials on the harms of gambling in a range of environments.
So far, the charities have revealed their joint education programme has reached over 48,000 young people.
Of the 24,000 professionals trained, 10,000 are teachers, and teachers can deliver the Young People’s Gaming Harm Prevention Programme through the latest PSHE school curriculum.
According to YGAM data, 99% of delegates trained to teach the programme feel confident about spotting the signs of gambling harm.
Furthermore, 97% of trained delegates expressed confidence about talking to young people about the topic of gambling, while 97% could signpost and support young people if they had any concerns.
In addition, 97% of those trained through GamCare say they now have a better understanding of how gambling harm impacts young people.
Kyle Riding, Head of the National Education Programme at YGAM, said: “It’s another fantastic milestone reached for the programme. The team delivering this programme includes former teachers, safeguarding leads, youth leaders and individuals with lived experience of gambling harms, so it is so rewarding to see the impact of their hard work. There continues to be huge interest and demand for the training and resources and I’m confident we will continue to achieve our objectives to effectively safeguard and support millions of young people.”
Alexa Roseblade, Senior Manager at GamCare, said: “Alongside YGAM, we passionately believe that education on the risks associated with gambling is an essential part of tackling gambling-related harms, and that every young person in the UK should receive at least one education session on it. The key to helping young people make informed choices about their participation in gambling and preventing gambling harms is to give them the facts about gambling and gaming and build their critical thinking skills and digital resilience.”
