The English Gambling Education Hub (EGEH) portal has been introduced to the public, offering a comprehensive resource to raise awareness and provide support for preventing gambling-related harm, particularly among children and young individuals. This groundbreaking initiative is the result of a collaborative effort involving seven organizations, with leading roles played by GambleAware, GamCare, and Ygam.
The local partners in this initiative include Aquarius, ARA, Beacon Counselling Trust, NECA, and Breakeven. Furthermore, the program extends its reach by collaborating with the Scottish and Welsh Gambling Education Hubs.
GambleAware, an organization backed by contributions from the gaming industry, has commissioned the EGEH with a mission to empower various sectors, including youth services, family services, and formal education, to undertake early intervention and prevention measures against gambling-related harm affecting children and young individuals. This virtual community of dedicated professionals introduces a pivotal tool known as the Gambling Education Quality Mark, which schools can apply to educate students about gambling harm prevention.
Ygam plays a vital role by offering a Quality Assurance Support Package (QASP) to assist organizations in providing training to children, young people, and professionals. Ygam and GamCare have previously focused on young people through the Young People’s Gambling Harm Prevention Program, an initiative that has successfully trained over 24,000 professionals and reached more than 48,000 young individuals.
In order to bring attention to this critical new initiative, the EGEH is hosting a film competition specifically for individuals aged 11 to 25. The winning film will be professionally developed and screened in schools across England.
Kyle Riding, head of programs at Ygam, commented, “This collaborative program not only serves as an effective means to centralize support for those in need but also represents a remarkable opportunity to establish a network of individuals who share a common goal: raising awareness and minimizing the impact of gambling-related harms on children and young people throughout England.”
Additionally, the UK government is considering a gambling levy to raise funds for research, education, and treatment, aiming to collect £100 million annually for the National Health Service (NHS). The responsibility for this levy will be transferred directly to the NHS to enhance independence and address concerns about proximity to the industry.
Tags:
- #YouthGambling
- #EducationInitiative
- #PreventingGamblingHarm
- #CommunitySupport
