Esports Wales, the national body for esports in Wales, has today announced a strategic partnership with Ygam.
Ygam is an award-winning education charity that helps prevent children and young people from experiencing gaming and gambling harms.
A news release described the collaboration as ‘combining Esports Wales’ expertise in esports with Ygams’ knowledge in preventative education, to promote a healthy and safer gaming environment that prioritises the mental and physical wellbeing of young players and fans’.
As part of the partnership, the Ygam branding will feature on the front and back of the players’ jerseys for the Esports Wales national team.
Ygam will also be working with Esports Wales to deliver specialist educational workshops to individuals and groups across Wales who have a duty of care or influence over young people, including teachers, parents, youth workers, carers, universities and more.
John Jackson, Chief Executive Officer at Esports Wales, said: “We are excited to partner with Ygam to further our commitment to promoting safer gaming within the esports community.
“As esports continues to grow in popularity, it’s crucial that we prioritise the wellbeing of our players and fans. Through this partnership, we aim to provide valuable resources and support to empower individuals to make responsible choices while gaming.”
Dr Jane Rigbye, Chief Executive Officer at Ygam, added:
“We are delighted to team up with Esports Wales at this exciting stage of their journey. We know that the majority of young people in Wales regularly play or engage with video games, so it’s incumbent upon us all to ensure that they are educated on the potential risks of the digital world they are so entwined in.”
Dr Jane Rigbye, Ygam
“As the demand for our resources continues to increase, we are looking forward to further expanding our reach and impact across Wales by working with more schools, families, and other groups who share our passion for safeguarding future generations.”
The news comes after Esports Wales partnered with Acer for industry workshops.
Earlier this year, Esports Wales made a string of announcements including the hiring of new staff, funding and a partnership with FA Wales.
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
