GamCare and YGAM launch programme in Northern Ireland

The two gambling charities will conduct an education and support programme.

UK.- The charities GamCare and the Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) plan to launch a gaming education and support programme in Northern Ireland.

They will work with Belfast-based charity Youth Work Alliance to deliver evidence-led and evaluated training to teachers and youth workers. Participants will be able to access City & Guilds assured training resources including lesson plans for primary and secondary students.

Youth Work Alliance chief executive Stephen Dallas said: “The work we are doing with YGAM, working alongside GamCare, delivering their training and resources on the ground here in Belfast and across Northern Ireland is going to be a huge benefit to our local communities.

“Gambling-related harms have been presented as a hidden issue in Northern Ireland for many years, which makes it even more vital for us to ensure children and vulnerable people are informed, educated and safeguarded against the potential harms associated with gambling and increasingly, gaming too.”

YGAM founder and chief executive Lee Willows said: “As well as educating, informing, and safeguarding, it is also vital that we raise awareness and start a conversation about those very personal experiences of gambling related harms in communities across Northern Ireland.”

GamCare has recently announced it is looking for participants for a study of online gaming behaviour.

Northern Ireland has begun an inquiry into gambling-related harm ahead of intended regulatory reform next year.