SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The ‘Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust’ (YGAM) has continued to expand its collaborative network of UK stakeholders by forming a strategic partnership with suicide prevention charity PAPYRUS.
Working together to ‘prevent future generations from experiencing harm’, YGAM and PAPYRUS will offer reciprocal training to help young people understand the life-threatening risks and harms of problem gambling and suicide.
YGAM professionals have received PAPYRUS ‘SP-ARK training’, enabling the harm prevention charity to better approach complex discussions on treatment of stigmas surrounding suicide in day-to-day life vulnerable victims of depression and further mental-health anxieties.
In turn, PAPYRUS teams has received YGAM’s full training on gaming and gambling harms and addictions, providing members an understanding of identifying problematic behaviours amongst young audiences.
Moving forward, PAPYRUS teams will be supported with by YGAM tools and educational resources to better engage with young victims of problem gambling.
Sandy Thompson, the YGAM Education Manager for Greater London, said: “It was fantastic to train more of our colleagues from PAPYRUS, working together to continue our shared commitment to improve young lives by increasing awareness around these crucial issues.”
“PAPYRUS provide vital support to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, whilst also engaging and building awareness in communities, and training organisations and groups. Working together in partnership is a crucial step in highlighting these important areas and continuing to provide the support and information that our young people desperately need.”
The partnership was announced during UK Charity Week (7-13 December), in which the charities said they shared a ‘poignant link’ having been founded following the personal loss of sons through the suicide of both YGAM and PAPYRUS founders.
YGAM reminds industry stakeholders that suicide remains the biggest killer of young people under 35 in the UK – with ‘thousands more attempt or contemplate suicide, harm themselves or suffer alone, afraid to speak openly about how they are feeling’.
Ged Flynn, Chief Executive of PAPYRUS, said: “We are proud to be working in partnership with YGAM and are looking at ways in which we can come together to support young people. We hear from young people every day on our helpline HOPELINEUK who are struggling with thoughts of suicide. Whilst there is never one sole reason that may lead a young person think suicide is an option, we know that gaming and gambling can be a contributory factor for some.”
“By working in partnership with YGAM we are able to better understand how gaming and gambling can impact on a young person’s mental health and offer the appropriate support. We know that this partnership will help to save lives.”
