Designing an Evaluation-Ready Gamified Training for Young People

Area - Qualitative Insight / Evaluation

“We have worked with Tackling Gambling Stigma on several projects and have always found them to be an incredibly insightful and engaging organisation. They are supportive and are a pleasure to work with. I know they will get the job done and it will be done to a high standard" – Fran Howard, Fast Forward

The Challenge

Fast Forward, a youth education organisation, wanted to develop an innovative, gamified approach to evaluating training for young people on gambling-related harm. Their challenge was threefold:

1. Maintaining authenticity – ensuring the training accurately reflected real-world experiences.
2. Clearly articulating the evidence-based components of the training, the logical connections between them, and how the programme works in practice to achieve its intended outcomes.
3. Embedding evaluation from the start – designing the programme so its impact could be effectively measured over time.

The other sections have an audience - is there any benefit in including that the evaluation was intended for use by Fast Forward but the theory of change can also be a helpful guide for other organisations working in youth gambling harm prevention.

Our Approach

We developed:

• A scenario-based simulation where participants take on the role of Alex, a young person supporting a friend, Sam, who is struggling with gaming and gambling harm.
• A structured evaluation framework, ensuring the programme measures key learning outcomes before and six months after the workshop.

Impact

Our work enabled Fast Forward to launch an evidence-based, engaging training programme with built-in evaluation, ensuring they can demonstrate long-term impact while helping young people navigate gambling-related risks.

If you're facing similar challenges, contact us, and let’s explore how we can make an impact together.