Funding in California encourages youth gambling awareness efforts

California schools and other organizations working with youths have an opportunity to receive up to $6.000 each for public awareness campaigning that targets gambling behaviors by youths. The application deadline for the 2017-2018 cycle is Sept. 20.

The California Center for Youth Development and Health Promotion is coordinating the funding oportunity through the California Office of Problem Gambling. According to a project summary, a pair of youth leadership organizations in 2007 conducted focus group sessions that found that gambling behavior among young people in California is common and takes many forms, and is influenced by factors such as boredom, peer pressure, and media exposure.

Priority for funding will be given to organizations that apply through an existing Friday Night Live program, which is an effort to engage youths in positive activities with a purposeful role, thus building their resilience to adverse life events.

Funded sites will be required to produce at least one 30-second public service announcement targeting a specific population, and also will be able to apply for support for additional efforts such as long-form videos and multilingual versions of projects.