Ygam and the National Youth Agency (NYA) have joined forces to raise gaming and gambling harms awareness across the youth work sector.
This exciting collaboration connects NYA’s digital youth work programmes and opportunities with Ygam’s evidence‑informed training, giving youth workers a clear route to develop practical digital skills and knowledge.
As the national professional and regulatory body for youth work in England, the NYA provides the standards, guidance, and resources that support high‑quality youth work practice. Combined with Ygam’s expertise in preventing gaming and gambling related harm, this collaboration comes at a crucial time for the sector, as youth workers are increasingly acting as trusted adults in young people’s lives. This includes supporting them to navigate the opportunities and challenges of an ever‑evolving digital world.
For many young people gaming plays an important role in how they learn, socialise, and have fun and can have many benefits. However, research shows that excessive gaming and online gambling can disrupt education, relationships, and mental wellbeing, with patterns formed in adolescence sometimes continuing into adulthood. This partnership aims to help youth workers better understand both the opportunities and risks young people encounter in their digital lives.
The latest Gambling Commission data revealed 59% of young people have some experience of gambling and 30% of young people had spent their own money on gambling within the last 12 months. A Mumsnet survey commissioned by Ygam last year found that boys aged 15 to 17 spend nearly 34 hours on average a week playing video games with two thirds of parents saying they are concerned about the risk of addiction to video games. Increasingly, experts warn about the blurred lines between video games and gambling, as chance-based features such as loot boxes are compared to gambling and appeal to children.
With many youth workers now delivering digital youth work in some form, the majority say they lack the skills, knowledge and confidence to explore technologies in practice. This partnership enables the sector to explore innovative engagement methods and have a deeper understanding of young people’s digital experiences.
”We are delighted to partner with the National Youth Agency. We must be alert to the emerging risks young people face, and you can’t have a conversation about their online habits and safety without addressing gaming. Youth workers are well placed to have conversations with young people about their online habits, so it’s essential they are equipped with the right knowledge and skills to safeguard and support them effectively. By combining our expertise with NYA’s reach and influence, we can make a real difference in empowering young people to live healthy and safe digital lives.”
Linda Scollins SmithDirector of Programmes and Insight & Innovation at Ygam
”“Young people are being exposed to new digital risks at a pace we can’t ignore, and the youth work sector urgently need the tools to respond. NYA understands those frontline pressures, and by combining our expertise with Ygam’s leading knowledge of gaming and gambling harms, we can get vital, practical training to the workforce quickly. Together, we’re helping youth workers stay ahead of emerging risks to keep young people safer in their digital lives.”
National Digital Innovation Lead at NYADirector of Programmes and Insight & Innovation at Ygam
NYA and Ygam will be hosting an open event to launch the partnership on 3rd Mawrth 2026 (10:30AM -11:15AM). The session will provide an overview of the current digital youth work landscape and how youth workers can access training and support.
Find out more about Ygam training or book onto the launch event by clicking here.
For more information on Digital Youth Work visit the NYA website.
