Students! Get paid to make your voice heard and make a difference through photography.
Have a photo voice by participating in LUK’s gambling prevention photovoice project.
This is a paid work opportunity for youth ages 15-18 in Central Massachusetts. Activities include youth-led educational opportunities, a recreational event, and a community exhibition.
To apply, submit a copy of your resume and application for employment to Prevention@LUK.org.
About Photovoice
About the Funder
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) Office of Problem Gambling Services (OPGS) was established to lead the public health response to the expansion of gambling in the Commonwealth. Since 2016, OPGS has ensured a comprehensive and integrated public health approach to problem gambling by using data to inform initiatives, engage communities, and ensure cultural intelligence and humility.
About our Program: Massachusetts PhotoVoice Project
The Massachusetts Photovoice Project (MPP) is a prevention initiative that uses a youth-centered approach to engage local youth in using the photovoice method to explore underage gambling and related public health issues in their community. Photovoice is a participatory approach to storytelling and documenting environmental community conditions using photography. Youth use their learning from the photovoice process to identify a problem in their community, learn about the root causes of this problem, and identify a set of actions that can be taken to contribute as solutions to the identified problem. Through this process, participating youth gain knowledge and skills that empower them to understand, critically assess, and communicate those factors that place them and people in their communities at risk for underage and problem gambling. This approach places youth—particularly those who experience disparities and inequitable balances of power—at the center of community change.
Resources
Treatment and Referral Services
- The Massachusetts Problem Gambling Helpline provides support to individuals and loved ones impacted by problem gambling. Individuals can call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org or text: “GAMB” to 800327 to speak with a trained Specialist. Specialists are available 24/7. Services are available in multiple languages and are free and confidential.
Education and Awareness
- Let’s Get Real About Gambling is a public awareness platform created by the Office of Problem Gambling Services. The platform provides information about the symptoms of problem gambling and provides resources for those at-risk.
- The Let’s Get Real About Gambling Brochure defines problem gambling and explains the signs and symptoms. This brochure also provides information and resources on how to get help and support.
- The Youth & Parents Toolkit is a prevention tool that helps parents understand the risks and signs of problem gambling in youth. This toolkit encourages parents to start conversations with their kids regarding problem gambling.
Technical Assistance Centers for Prevention or Treatment
- The Massachusetts Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling Prevention (MCOE PGP) provides capacity building, training and resource development services to address the prevention of problem gambling and related health issues such as the prevention of substance misuse, suicide and violence. Focusing on shared risk and protective factors allows MCOE PGP to address multiple issues simultaneously and achieve a higher level of impact. MCOE PGP currently provides technical assistance to three prevention projects as well as statewide training to community prevention providers.
- The Massachusetts Problem Gambling Treatment Technical Assistance Center (M-TAC) provides a range of services that build the capacity of outpatient treatment programs to address problem gambling and co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, and to reduce health disparities in their communities. The Center offers training, technical assistance, consultation, and other technical support for problem gambling treatment services across the state. The Center is also managing the MA Problem Gambling Specialist (MA-PGS) certificate, the official problem gambling provider certificate in the state.