Although based in Edinburgh, we also work in different areas across Scotland. We are trialling our Chances service in Fife and we are seeing if the need for support is here.
Our Chances - Gambling Support service takes a person-centred and relationship-based approach to support people into recovery from gambling harm. There are many at-risk groups who are vulnerable to being exposed to gambling and who may experience gambling harms on various levels. People with long-term mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions, co-occurring addictions like substance use, those experiencing domestic violence, trauma, homelessness, life within the criminal justice system and marginalized groups in society including those among the LGBT+ community, veterans, migrants, women and youths are at an increased risk of being exposed to gambling products as gambling industries often target certain groups and places (quite often low-income and economically disadvantaged areas with food scarcity and more inequalities). Gambling products are often used as a form to escape from and to cope with other difficulties in life including substance use addictions, bereavement, adverse childhood experiences, trauma and more. Our gambling support service offers 1-1 support to people aged 18 and over who are experiencing gambling harm linked to their own gambling use and people who are impacted by someone else’s gambling (e.g., family, friends & colleagues). We also have an online LGBT+ Gambling support group/drop-in which you can view details of below. We take both organisational and self-referrals, and we can support people in the community, online or by phone.
What we offer:
- Practical support with managing self-exclusion, setting limits, and accessing external financial support
- CBT based tools and strategies for reducing or stopping gambling
- Psychoeducation relating to why people develop problems and a dependency with gambling
- Emotional and wellbeing support strategies
- Holistic support – community connections and meaningful activity
- For people impacted by someone else’s gambling – we offer a different approach called CRAFT that focuses on improving well-being, understanding triggers, communication, positive reinforcements tools and more.
You can find more information about our gambling support service at: www.cyrenians.scot/chances
Our online LGBT+ Gambling Support group/drop-in is available Scotland wide and is free for participants to attend. The group will be delivered on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month from 18:30-19:30 in partnership with LGBT Health and Wellbeing. While the group is a drop-in service - there’s no need to book in advance. However, the Chances team would encourage people to get in touch beforehand if possible. This helps the team to prepare and offer the best support. This is the first support group of its kind in Scotland, and we are really looking forward to seeing how things develop with the group. It will be co-facilitated by a Keyworker from the Chances gambling support team.
You can find more information about the LGBT+ support group here: LGBTQ+ Gambling Support – LGBT Health and Wellbeing
Furthermore, our Chances team delivers Gambling Awareness upskilling sessions twice a month, which are open to external organisations.
If you need to get in contact with the Chances Gambling Support team about any enquiries or referrals, then send us an email or give us a call on 07983 137 239.