GambleAware commits £2m to support long-term gambling harm recovery
The funding, issued by GambleAware’s Aftercare Funding Programme (AFP), will be used to support the delivery of additional support that people might require as part of their ongoing recovery.
Organisations were chosen following a selection process that involved a panel of experts, including two members with lived experience of gambling harm.
Each applicant had to demonstrate how they would work towards helping people who have sustained recoveries from gambling harm. This included improving mental health and wellbeing, increasing practical skills and increasing people’s confidence and self-belief in their abilities.
Two levels of funding were available; up to £150,000 for smaller or newer organisations or for those looking to test an approach, and £350,000 for larger, established organisations that wanted to grow or develop their work further.
Cyrenians, one of the chosen organisations, will use the funding to enable one-to-one and group trauma-informed support for those within the homeless community in Edinburgh. The Acta Community Theatre, another successful applicant, will provide a creative peer support group in Bristol, open to people from all backgrounds in recovery.
“Enabling people to access treatment and support to reduce or stop their gambling is essential,” GambleAware’s chief commissioning officer Anna Hargrave said. “But there is less known about how to ensure this recovery can be sustained over the long term.
“This is why our Aftercare Funding Programme was set up to fund projects which support recovery for people to help them rebuild their lives.
“These 10 organisations were chosen to receive funding because of their innovative approaches, as well as their abilities to reach specific communities. We look forward to seeing how the projects develop.”
The funding comes after GambleAware last month also announced it would distribute £1.2m to 22 organisations across Great Britain through its Community Resilience Fund to support individuals and communities affected by gambling harms.