Introducing our new Trained Associate model 

We outline GamCare’s new Trained Associate model and how we’re working with the first recipient of the model, Motiv8, an Isle of Man based charity. 

At GamCare, we’ve seen first-hand how the demand for gambling-related support has risen in Britain. In 2020-2021 alone, over 10,000 people received treatment sessions through GamCare and calls to the National Gambling Helpline increased by nine per cent to over 41,000 calls. 

In addition to our 161 treatment locations across England, Scotland and Wales, we know there are areas outside of Britain where people continue to experience gambling harms and are in need of support and treatment.  

To ensure these people are reached we’ve developed our new Trained Associated model, a framework where non-GB organisations may be able to receive training from GamCare on how to deliver support for people experiencing gambling-rated harms.  

What is the Trained Associate model? 

The Trained Associate model enables organisations not registered in Great Britain to receive training from in line with GamCare’s ‘Model of Care’ – our clinical framework for treatment provision – and provide them with many of the tools they need to begin offering support themselves.  

The model is open to applications from organisations who already provide some form of social support, such as counselling, mental health or substance misuse teams, in non-GB jurisdictions. The package is aimed to help these teams develop their services to provide support for gambling for anyone who needs it. 

Our work with Motiv8 

Substance misuse charity Motiv8, an organisation that provides a range of support services across the Isle of Man, is the first recipient of the model. The charity, formerly the Isle of Man Alcohol Advisory Service, specialises in supporting people with issues around alcohol or drugs across the island, whether it’s impacting them or someone else. 

This means Motiv8’s team will now be able to deliver clinical support for gambling as part of their offering, helping minimise gambling harms across the island. 

Thea Ozenturk, Chief Executive Officer at Motiv8 said: “We are delighted to move to this new relationship with GamCare as it keeps Motiv8’s team at the forefront of delivering best practice interventions in the treatment of gambling disorder for the benefit of locally affected individuals and their families.” 

How to get involved 

When working with an organisation to become a trained associate, GamCare will engage in discussions with the organisation enquiring in the first instance, and if deemed suitable, a due diligence exercise will be carried out. This is to provide assurance that the organisation has the clinical skills and governance to deliver gambling support services – under this model the organisation would not be a sub-contract to GamCare, and would be responsible for their own data, governance and risk management.* 

If you’re looking for more information on the model, please visit our Trained Associate webpage or contact julia.fazackerl[email protected]. Contact details for Motiv8 can be found on their website. 

 

*Please note, a Trained Associate is different to membership of GamCare’s partner network, where partners are formally sub-contracted to deliver NGTS services.