Gambling player protection charity GamCare has announced a suicide awareness partnership with the suicide prevention group Samaritans.
Through the partnership, the duo will create resources and materials for gambling companies to help them support individuals’ mental health.
Beyond helping the individuals, the resources are also going to be designed to ensure that companies have the knowledge to deal with such situations.
What will GamCare and Samaritans do?
Through leaning on each other’s expertise in their respective areas, GamCare and Samaritans will work together to identify where they can fill gaps in suicide prevention. Training will also be offered to gambling businesses, as will guidance.
As part of the training, e-learning will be provided free of charge for companies in the industry. This training will cover numerous areas, including compliance, safer gambling, and customer service.
Beyond supporting others, the training will also highlight how staff working for gambling companies can protect their own mental health.
“A real difference”
GamCare CEO Anna Hemmings commented on the partnership with Samaritans. She had the following to say.
“Pairing our experience and expertise of training the gambling industry and treating gambling harms with Samaritans’ expertise in suicide prevention will make a real difference to those most at risk.
“With the isolation of lockdown exacerbating gambling harms for some people, it is more important than ever that our support services unite to help gambling businesses identify and support their customers at risk of harm.
“With proper training providing new skills and expertise, the industry and its staff can play a vital role in identifying vulnerable customers at risk of harm.”
“Suicide prevention is everyone’s business”
Samaritans Learning and Development Consultant Rachel Evans also spoke about the partnership and had the following to say.
“Suicide prevention is everyone’s business and we developed this training with GamCare to educate and equip gambling industry staff with the knowledge and skills they need to identify and support people at risk of gambling harm related suicide.
“GamCare already delivers excellent training on reducing gambling-related harms and our collaborative effort will be the first bespoke training on suicide prevention specifically.
We’re proud to have created these much-needed resources with GamCare and urge all gambling businesses to demonstrate their commitment to suicide prevention by enrolling in the training as soon as possible.”
