The effect on women of gambling related harm
National charity GamCare, which is the leading national provider of information, advice and support for anyone affected by gambling-related harm, is delivering a though-provoking two-hour workshop for us in November about Gambling Related Harm Awareness.
This comes at a time when women’s safety is a huge subject of discussion and is something we at Community Chesterfield are passionate about covering as a training topic.
In this blog, we hear from Sarah Franklin, Training and Engagement Lead for the East Midlands Women’s Programme at GamCare, about what the charity does and how it works with women in particular to provide support around this issue.
What does GamCare do?
At GamCare, we provide a range of support for people struggling with the impact of gambling on their lives. The National Gambling Helpline gives confidential information, advice and support for anyone affected by gambling problems in England, Scotland and Wales. Individuals can speak to our advisers one-to-one over the phone or on live chat 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Our treatment is accessible over the phone, face-to-face and online and is free, flexible and confidential. It is available for adults affected by gambling across England, Scotland and Wales.
We also provide dedicated support for young people under 18 across the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland and we also offer a range of training, outreach and risk reduction programmes across England, Scotland, Wales and now Northern Ireland (with our youth outreach programme).
Our youth outreach programme delivers a programme of education, training and support for young people and professionals across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Our criminal justice programme works with/within a number of prisons, police custody suites, courts, and with probation and community rehabilitation company (CRC) teams in order to support individuals affected by gambling-related harm. Our work also includes training to professionals within the CJS, which is a key activity.
What is the Women’s Outreach Program?
The question is often asked why women need separate engagement around this topic. GamCare’s Women’s Programme was developed in 2019 in recognition that we believed women to be under-represented across our support and treatment services.
Gambling perceived as a predominantly ‘male’ activity in our society, and this can result in women experiencing greater harms as they may be hidden from services and / or reluctant to seek the support they need.
Gambling can and does affect women in potentially life-changing ways and they can be disproportionately affected by gambling-related harms, experiencing financial, relationship and mental health issues.
Women’s experiences of gambling are not generally understood within women’s support services and across wider services, so this programme was developed to advance women’s voices across research, education and treatment and work towards systemic action to improve our responses to women impacted by GRHs.
We have delivered training to professionals across more than 1000 services to raise awareness around women and gambling related harms and how gambling is linked with a range of issues affecting women and girls and helping to better identify women in need – ensure a ‘no wrong door approach’ into support / treatment.
The programme is gathering learning from women with lived experience, professionals and academics and sharing this across sectors to improve identification and response to women in need of support.
We’re exploring, through women’s lived experience, the female perspective on gambling so we can improve on how we best support women. These insights feed into treatment and support services that support developments to better respond and meet the needs of women experiencing harms.
Who is this training workshop aimed at?
Suitable for anyone who wants to learn more about gambling-related harm, particularly those who may be working or supporting vulnerable adults and families or working, volunteering or studying in frontline services across, health, social care and the voluntary sector.
During this 2 hour Zoom training session, we will cover gambling-related harm, risk factors, impacts, and how to identify and support people affected. Gambling-related harm can include debt, relationship difficulties, housing issues, gender-based violence, depression and anxiety, feelings of isolation, and suicidality. Learn about GamCare’s treatment network and how to refer clients to treatment services.
The workshop is free to University of Derby staff and students with a connection to Chesterfield, as well as those working at or volunteering for Derbyshire-based not for profit community organisations helping people in Chesterfield.