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Ygam unveiled their new strategy earlier this week at a Parliamentary reception attended by MPs, Peers, and a wide range of stakeholders.
The event at the Houses of Parliament was attended by around 90 people, including representatives from the Government, academia, regulators and charities as well as local authorities.
Damian Collins MP hosted the reception. He was the minister responsible gambling in 2022, and also the Chair of DCMS Select Committee for three consecutive years between 2016-2019. The Conservative MP, a strong advocate for online safety, opened the reception by praising the charity’s important work.
Following this speech was Mike Wojcik who is Chair of the Ygam Board of trustees and Chief Executive of Queen Mary’s University London Student Union, followed by a short speech. He stated that he had seen the organization grow and mature and couldn’t be more proud of where it is today. This year was a transformational one for Ygam. We have defined our purpose and identified our expertise. We also worked to better understand the needs so that we can offer the best programmes and services to young people to help them avoid harm.
To show support for the charity, MP’s and peers from all political parties attended the reception, including Lord Clement-Jones and Deputy Speaker Dame Rosie Winterton. As well as people with lived experience, there were representatives from organisations that are involved in the treatment, education, and research of gambling and gaming harms.
Dr Jane Rigbye (Ygam Chief Executive) addressed the reception and explained the charity’s new vision and mission. She stated that the digital world presents huge opportunities but also carries risks, especially for young people living in a more digitalized world. We have a clear purpose and deliver evidence-based programs. We are committed to understanding and continually improving our impact.
Dr Rigbye spoke out clearly about the importance of education, saying that “We want to make sure that universal education is considered an essential part the public health response against gambling and gaming” and that it is well-funded over the long-term. Ygam is here to show that effective prevention education can be delivered to all youth. It’s possible, feasible, and worthwhile.
The event was closed by Jeff Smith MP, Shadow DCMS Minister and a keynote speech calling for the White Paper of the Government to support prevention and education. He stated that “it is vital that the White Paper provides a clear guideline on funding for the sector. We must also recognize that funding should not be restricted to treatment provision only. It is important to focus on both preventing and addressing harm when it occurs. This is where charities such as Ygam shine. The Government has a responsibility in the White Paper to address concerns about the sustainability of their services.
The new strategy reaffirms Ygam’s commitment to educating children and young adults aged 7-25 years. Ygam appointed an independent facilitator to guide the strategic development process. This has allowed Ygam to engage with a wide range of stakeholders and staff in order to create a strategy that brings clarity and purpose to the organisation’s future direction.
This strategy outlines Ygam’s plans for the next three-years. It is a rolling strategy, which will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary. This will allow the charity to adapt to changing circumstances and continue to fulfill its mission and vision beyond 2025. Ygam has committed to regularly reporting on progress and will publish an annual report on its impact and an annually updated strategic implementation plan.
Ygam’s new branding was also unveiled at the event. It sees the charity changing its logo, colours and style. Ygam’s Director of External Affairs, Daniel Bliss said that the charity has changed significantly since 2014. Therefore, we felt that our branding should reflect this evolution. We felt the new strategy was a great opportunity to update our look. We are confident that our new branding will allow us to communicate effectively with our audience.
