SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) has teamed up with UNISON, the UK’s largest trade union, to offer in-depth training on gambling and gambling-related harms.
Through the partnership, YGAM will offer free accredited workshops and resources to anyone who works with or cares for young people which will offer the necessary tools to safeguard young people from the potential risks of gambling and gaming-related harm.
Attendees will benefit from lesson plans, activities as well as training to identify the signs of problem gambling and information on where to go for advice and support
Commenting on the partnership Teresa Donegan, Head of Learning and Organising at UNISON said: “We are really pleased to have developed this relationship with YGAM, their training and resources are really excellent and will be an invaluable resource to our members to support them in their work with young people across public services whether it be in youth, community or social services or in the further or higher education sector.”
The workshops form part of the £10 million National Gambling Education Programme supported by members of the Betting & Gaming Council which was announced earlier this year.
All training sessions have been externally evaluated and are assured by the principle awarding bodies, City & Guilds and ASDAN.
Having recently attended one of the workshops, Stevie Milward, a national Learning and Workforce Development Officer at UNISON, said: “Many parents won’t realise what their children are being subjected to on a regular basis and it is great to be able to have the ability to work with those practitioners that deal with children and young people (and their parents in some instances) on a daily basis, in their work, so that they can pass on the education they receive from the training to help keep those young people safer.”
UNISON has over 1.3 million members and have initially organised for YGAM to run several national sessions and hope to follow this up with a host of regional training through the UNISON regional education teams across the country.
Kev Clelland, Operations Director at YGAM, concluded: “We are delighted to be working with UNISON. We are constantly listening to the needs of practitioners and young people and it is very clear from these conversations that the workers that UNISON represents need and appreciate our resources more than ever.
“YGAM’s vision is for all young and vulnerable people to be safe from gaming and gambling related harms and this collaboration will help us reach thousands of young people to raise awareness of the potential risks of gambling and gaming related harm.”
