YGAM and Unison Partner to Provide Gambling Education to Union Members

The Young Gamblers and Gambling Education Trust (YGAM) has teamed up with Unison to introduce a new program that will provide professional training on gambling and associated risks to labor union members in the United Kingdom.

YGAM will provide free seminars and materials to all individuals who work with or care for young people.

These seminars will cover essential information about gambling and betting in the UK and offer resources to equip Unison members with tools to help safeguard young people from gambling-related risks. These tools include lesson plans, activities, warning signs to watch out for, and information on how to obtain assistance.

Unison has more than 1.3 million members, and YGAM will be holding a series of meetings throughout the country and plans to follow up with a series of regional training sessions for its education teams across the UK.

Unisons Learning and Organisational Development Manager, Teresa Donnigan, expressed her joy at forging this connection with YGAM. She highlighted the exceptional quality of YGAM’s training and resources, emphasizing their value for Unison members as they engage with young individuals in public services.

Kev Cleland, YGAM’s Operations Director, underscored their commitment to understanding the requirements of practitioners and young people. He emphasized that Unison’s workforce has a strong need for and appreciation of YGAM’s resources.

Cleland further elaborated on YGAM’s mission, which is to safeguard all young individuals and vulnerable groups from the negative consequences associated with gaming and gambling. He expressed confidence that this collaboration will empower them to reach a vast number of young people, raising their awareness of the potential hazards linked to gambling and gaming.

This partnership follows the recent launch of YGAM’s “Parent Hub” portal, a collaborative effort with research teams from Newcastle and Loughborough Universities. The hub’s objective is to educate parents and caregivers about the risks associated with loot boxes. It provides resources, information, and activities to promote online safety for children.