The YMCA Youth Gambling Awareness Program is a free service offering educational prevention programs designed to raise youth awareness with regards to gambling, healthy/active living and making informed decisions. Studies show that adolescents report significantly higher rates of problem gambling than adults. Gambling patterns start as early as 8 years of age and can be established before an adolescent reaches high school. Youth today are the first generation to grow up in a society where gambling is actively promoted, legalized and glamorized and participation in internet gambling has steadily increased among young adults. Youth are less likely to get involved in problematic behaviors if their coping strategies are enhanced and the good news is we can help. Together with the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion, the YMCA believes educational awareness raising programs are essential to enhancing personal development and creating healthier communities. The YMCA does not make value judgments regarding gambling; rather we see it as an activity that people may or may not choose to engage in. Using harm reduction we offer youth accurate information to make their own informed choices around gambling and other high risk activities. Community partnerships are an important part of the program and we currently work with various agencies to provide referral services to gambling treatment services.

What do we do in your community?

1. Awareness Raising Activities:

• Deliver interactive sessions for youth ages 8-24
  • Offer students accurate information about gambling and develop the skills to make informed life decisions around risk-taking behaviours
  • Create a general understanding of risk assessment and harm reduction strategies
  • Discuss possible consequences of, and decisions relating to gambling
  • Offer curriculum activities based on Ministry of Education requirements
  • Give participants access to community resources and other local service providers that can help them with a potential gambling problem
  • Provide interactive sessions for adults involved in young people's lives
  • Educational workshops for parents, teachers, health professionals, and other agencies and organizations

• Referral to gambling treatment services

• Attend community fairs/events

2. Community Involvement:

Plan and implement events designed to promote community awareness and involvement in issues related to youth gambling

3. Youth Engagement:

Facilitate youth driven initiatives to promote youth expression and community action related to youth gambling.

Note to teachers and educators:

Educators play a key role in helping their students understand the signs of problem gambling. In addressing the needs of youth between the ages of 8 and 24, the YMCA Youth gambling Awareness Program offers a series of educational workshops/presentations including the new Health and Physical Education Curriculum.

We:

• Introduce your students to the potential risks of gambling;
• Provide information about gambling and the role probability plays in games of chance;
• Offer students accurate information about gambling and develop the skills to make informed life decisions around risk-taking behaviors
• Discuss possible consequences of, and decisions relating to, gambling
• Help students recognize the signs of problem gambling and identify strategies to reduce the harm associated with gambling including decision-making and coping strategies (in below, you will find some of the signs of problem gambling);
• Give participants access to community resources and other local service providers that can help them with a potential gambling problem

Here are some signs of problem gambling:

• Letting school or work suffer due to preoccupation with gambling
• Spending more time or money than intended
• Losing interest in other activities
• Being criticized by others about gambling behaviour
• Borrowing, lying, or stealing to gamble or pay back debts
• Increased interest in internet gambling sites, sports results or TV poker
• Money appearing and disappearing

To learn more about the program or to book a presentation, please contact the Youth Outreach Worker in your area.