Gaming and Gambling Harms in Children and Young People
How Gaming Impacts Young People
Today’s young people are growing up in an increasingly digital world, where gaming plays a central role in how they learn, socialise, and have fun. Understanding this landscape helps us as parents, professionals, and community leaders to support young people in building healthy relationships with gaming.
Ygam
Ygam are a UK charity dedicated to preventing gaming and gambling harms among young people. Their mission is to prevent children and young people from experiencing gaming and gambling harms through awareness raising, education, and research.
Ygam are a national charity with a social purpose to inform, educate, safeguard and build digital resilience amongst young and vulnerable people; helping them to make informed decisions and understand the consequences around gambling and gaming.
This is achieved through evidence-led, evaluated and assured education programmes and resources for anyone that works with or cares for young and vulnerable people, including teachers, youth workers, community volunteers and healthcare professionals.
The Education programme is City & Guilds assured and our resources are the winners of the Children and Young People Now PSHE Award 2020. In 2022, YGAM won two national awards for the important work it does to safeguard young people. These were the “Wellbeing Award” from the National Children and Young People Awards and “The Outstanding Contribution to Pastoral Care Award” from National Awards for Pastoral Care in Education.
The training will:
· Increase awareness of advertising and sponsorship along with an understanding of in game purchases (microtransactions), social media and the blurred lines between the online / offline world.
· Equip you with the knowledge and confidence to spot the signs of harm, start informed safeguarding conversations and signpost to support when needed.
· Enable free access to award winning complimentary, downloadable, and cross-curricular resources. These include lesson plans, schemes of work, PowerPoints, tutorials (all aligned to the PSHE curriculum from KS2-5), and over 100 youth work activities as well as awareness sessions on topics such as age-appropriate content.
Learning outcomes:
The learner will understand why CYP might game/gamble
The learner will understand what is meant by gaming/gambling related harm
The learner will recognise the signs of gaming/gambling related harm
The learner will know where to find further support
The learner will have increased confidence when talking to CYP about gaming and gambling
The Ygam website can be found here and provides a range of resources for children, young people, parents and carers and teachers.
Ygam also offer a variety of workshops which are free to attend and can be found here.