Youth Gambling Awareness Program

YGAP offers awareness raising programming in French and English for youth ages of 8-24 as well as adults, parents and professionals. Content of youth workshops are developmentally appropriate, interactive, fun and engaging for classroom, community centers, and camp settings. Workshops can be booked individually, or as a series.

For more information visit workshop options.

Youth driven initiatives are key in promoting youth expression and community action related to youth gambling. With a very impactful peer-to-peer model, Youth Engagements have become one of the staple elements of YGAP over the years.

Partnerships and collaboration with community organizations to plan and implement events designed to promote community awareness and involvement in issues related to youth gambling are included in each of the YGAP sites.

YGAP partners with local education and treatment service providers, local youth services agencies and mental health & addiction services and is a constant presence at community health fairs and information events continuing the program mission to promote healthy active living, informed decision making and education and prevention of youth problem gambling.

Please contact the YGAP Youth Outreach Worker in your area if you’d like to invite YGAP to a health fair or event!

“23% of youth know someone who may be experiencing problems with gambling” (YGAP Impact Study, 2016). Each YGAP participant is provided with information and referral to treatment services and other community resources that can help with a potential gambling problem, as a method of further reaching the individuals who might require such help without asking for disclosure of problem gambling issues in front of peers.

By conducting research, literature reviews and impact studies YGAP develops relevant evidence-based program materials:

• Impact Study - YGAP Awareness Workshop (15-18 age group)
  The purpose of this project was to conduct preliminary evaluation of YGAP awareness workshops among youth 15-18 years of age and assess its impact on awareness of potential risks, recall of low risk practices, reduction of misconceptions, awareness of help resources and decreased stigma associated with gambling. Due to this project, success factors of YGAP workshops as well as areas for improvement were identified and future target populations and prevention/education topics were determined.
• Literature review: Reducing Public Stigma Towards People with Gambling Problems
  YGAP identified the need to deepen the organizational knowledge and understanding of stigma related to gambling. The project aims were to review key scientific literature, assess public stigma associated with problem gambling and program’s Youth Outreach Workers’ training needs to effectively address stigma in their work and develop a YOW training module as well as materials to help YOWs target stigma reduction in gambling awareness workshops.
• Literature Review: Developing Target Prevention Skills for Youth Engagement
  Developing target Prevention Skills: This report reviews and analyzes youth gambling prevention programs that have been evaluated and published in peer-reviewed journals to identify critical education topics, and targeted skills; understand the learning from evaluations regarding program content (gambling awareness education and non-gambling related skills), program structure (duration, mode of delivery, delivery agent) and program effectiveness and recommend target skills and other program structure to aid in the development of effective future youth engagement curriculum in gambling education/prevention programs.
• Stigma and Gambling Awareness
  This report details the development process of an evidenced-based stigma awareness tool targeted at youth, as well as a list of considerations for implementing a social media campaign for stigma reduction.
• Gambling & Media: How has media changed the gambling industry and why should we be talking about it?
  Technology and media have evolved tremendously over the past several years, which has had an incredible impact on many industries, including the gambling industry. This article outlines the various ways that gambling activities and gambling advertising techniques have evolved in recent years and how these changes impact youth in particular. The current regulations in Ontario are reviewed and opportunities for further regulation are explored.
• Gambling & Gaming during COVID-19: Prevalence, Implications and Strategies to Stay Safe
  The global enforcement of social distancing measures that began earlier this year has eliminated many common sources of entertainment. How then have individuals been keeping themselves engaged during this time? This article outlines the increased participation in online gaming and gambling, how these opportunities have changed as a result of COVID-19 and how these activities have specifically impacted youth. The article also explores strategies to stay safe during this time.
• How Youth Brain Development Impacts Risk-Taking in Youth
  Learning about a topic as complex as youth brain development can often seem overwhelming. However, having accurate knowledge related to youth brain development can help us to better understand the young people we work or live with and prepares us to better support them. In this article, YGAP shares the basics of brain development and explores how brain development during adolescence influences behaviors, including risk-taking behaviors.
• Bitcoin and the Problem Gambling Connection
  Part one
  Part Two
  These articles are part of a two-part series exploring an emerging topic: Bitcoin. Part one introduces terminology that is necessary in order to effectively explain what Bitcoin is. Part two investigates the nexus between digital currency and problem gambling, and includes suggestions on how to stay safe if one chooses to gambling or purchasing cryptocurrencies.

Reach the Toll-free YGAP Directory 1-877-525-5515 or contact the youth outreach worker in your area to book a presentation and learn more about the program:

• YGAP Durham: (905) 903-5995
• YGAP Guelph: (519) 766-2842
• YGAP Hamilton/Burlington/ Brantford: (289) 260-8635 
• YGAP Kenora: (705) 690-7839
• YGAP Kingston: (613) 530-7617
• YGAP London: (519) 854-8300
• YGAP Niagara Region: (289) 213-4869
• YGAP Ottawa: (613) 715-4046
• YGAP Owen Sound: (519) 379-0153
• YGAP Peterborough:(705) 927-3901
• YGAP Sarnia: (519) 381-8100
• YGAP Sault Ste. Marie: (705) 943-3500
• YGAP Simcoe/Muskoka: (705) 794-0727
• YGAP Timmins: (705) 360-3432
• YGAP Thunder Bay: (705) 690-7839
• YGAP Toronto West: (416) 303-9695
• YGAP Toronto East: (416) 627-9997
• YGAP Francophone-Greater Toronto Area: (416) 625-8388 
• YGAP Windsor and Essex: (519) 965-9335
• YMCA of Greater Toronto YGAP Lead site:(416) 928-3362

An interactive workshop aimed to encourage youth to explore the topic of gambling while determining the differences between playing games and gambling. Youth experience the consequences of winning and losing, experiment with probability, identify risks associated with gambling and learn how to stay safe and make informed decisions. 60 to 90 minutes

An interactive workshop that encourages participants to explore the concept of gambling through investigation into odds and randomness and the impact they have on winning and losing. Individuals learn about the various traditional and new forms of gambling, while gaining relevant knowledge in relation to harm reduction and making informed and healthy choices. 60 to 90 minutes

The Betting $ense workshop use an age-appropriate style, aimed to increase students’ awareness of the risks involved in gambling and the importance of making informed financial decisions. Through a series of activities, students will be invited to explore personal finances, budgeting and money management. 60 to 90 minutes.

Through a series of activities and discussions, participants explore the fundamentals of financial literacy, budgeting, spending, borrowing and saving as they relate to gambling. The Betting $ense workshop aims to enhance participants’ awareness of the financial risks and implications of gambling and dispel myths about money and gambling. It invites participants to apply informed decision making and critical thinking skills in games of chance and explore the concepts of needs vs. wants, comparison shopping and being a wise consumer as they relate to responsible gambling. 60 to 90 minutes

An interactive workshop that explores the blurred boundaries between online gaming and gambling. Through interactive games, participants explore the connections between technology and gaming/gambling, risks associated with online gaming as well as strategies to make safe and healthy decisions when dealing with this rapidly expanding industry. 60 to 90 minutes

The Game-bling workshop aims to develop and enhance critical thinking by exploring the impact of technology on the gambling market, the blurred lines between gaming and gambling and underage ‘gambling’ opportunities (e-sports, fantasy sports, ‘gambling’ in videogames, skin betting, etc.). In this workshop, warning signs of problematic behaviors including excessive video gaming, technology use, social gaming and gambling are discussed. Harm reduction strategies and support resources are provided. 60 to 90 minutes

This media literacy workshop aims to enhance critical and creative abilities in relationship to the media. This multimedia workshop provides opportunity to view, analyze and discuss a wide variety of media text.

The Media Literacy Workshop aims to develop/enhance critical thinking in relation to the media and advertisements. The workshop explores marketing techniques and a wide variety of media content, including gambling advertisements and invites participants to question the objective and impact of media content and advertisements. 60 to 90 minutes

Through a variety of physical activity and interactive games, this workshop aims at teaching positive decision making and healthy living skills focusing on youth gambling and related issues. This presentation is to be conducted in a gymnasium or outside on a grass field. 60 to 90 minutes

This workshop is designed to address the stigma surrounding problem gambling and its consequences. It explores the myths, misconceptions, assumptions and feelings towards people experiencing problems with gambling and the impact of stigma on help seeking behaviors. The stigma and Gambling Addiction is a module aiming at lowering public stigma and increasing positive attitudes towards treatment by addressing the nature of problem gambling as an addiction and facilitating discussions on language, attitudes and behaviors towards people with gambling problems as well as ways we can help to break stigma and support recovery. 60 to 90 minutes

Learn more about the changing world of gambling and the risk to young people. Youth today are growing up in a society where gambling is legalized, easily accessible, actively promoted, glamourized and generally presented as harmless entertainment. We offer 60 to 90 minute workshops for the following topics:

• What’s At Stake? Gambling Awareness
• Betting $ense: Financial Literacy
• Media Impact: Media Literacy
• Game-Bling: When Gaming Meets Gambling
• Stigma and problem Gambling

Each year, Youth Outreach Workers facilitate youth driven initiatives to promote youth expression and community action in regards to gambling awareness. Youth driven initiatives are key in promoting youth expression and community action related to youth gambling. With a very impactful peer-to-peer model, Youth Engagement Initiatives have become one of the staple elements of YGAP over the years. Do you work with a group that would benefit from a Youth Engagement Project? Contact the Local Youth Outreach Worker in your area for more information!

YGAP Community Involvement Events are designed to promote community awareness and involvement in issues related to gambling. Partnerships and collaboration with community organizations to plan and implement new and exciting event designed to promote community awareness and involvement regarding youth gambling issues are included in each of the YGAP sites. For more information on Community Involvement events in your area or to discuss partnering with YGAP please contact the local Youth Outreach Worker in your area.

YGAP is invited to participate in various community events and school fairs. These events allow YGAP to increase community awareness of youth gambling and harm reduction. We create interactive booths to deliver accurate information to the community. Please contact the YGAP Youth Outreach Worker in your area if you’d like to invite YGAP to a health fair or event!

YGAP Advisory Committee is an integral part of YGAP across the province. Committee members are volunteers who work cooperatively with YGAP by offering advice on areas such as potential networking and partnership opportunities, information about the local community and gambling trends, feedback on activities to be included in workshops, and helping to raise awareness of the program in the community. Committees are typically made up of youth service providers, addiction and mental health service providers, educators, credit counselors, and youth. What are the benefits of participating as an YGAP Advisory Committee Member?

• Committee members have the opportunity to network and share resources that benefit their agency, clients and community as a whole
• Committee members have the opportunity for professional collaboration and goal sharing
• Committee members have the opportunity to discuss community issues related to youth and brainstorm action items

If you are interested in becoming a member please contact your local YGAP Youth Outreach Worker.