Learning Report: Improving Outcomes Fund Evaluation

Summary

This report captures key insights from the Improving Outcomes Fund (IOF) evaluation's scoping phase, exploring what works well—or less well—to reduce gambling harm for women and minority communities. It draws on evidence from an in-person event with IOF grant-holders, six-month reporting forms, familiarisation calls with 20 grant-holders, and a brief review of research on gambling harm inequalities.

Topics covered

Integrating gambling harm support into non-gambling harm specialist organisations.
Enhancing inclusivity and effectiveness in gambling harm support by focusing on engagement, community participation, incorporating lived experiences, and adapting programmes to diverse cultural contexts.
Exploring and utilising innovative practices to support project success.
Examining how the gambling harm support system can evolve to better address the needs of women and minority communities.

Key findings

Stigma and a lack of understanding around gambling harms continue to be common barriers across organisations.
Delivering inclusive and effective support requires time to foster trust within communities, prioritise language and cultural sensitivity, amplify lived experience testimonies, ensure community representation, and adopt co-designed approaches. Key challenges include stigma, fear of potential consequences when seeking support, and slow engagement processes.
Projects are forging innovative partnerships with various agencies (for example, housing and financial support organisations) to create a more cohesive and integrated system, enhancing overall support provision and expanding outreach through social media platforms.
The gambling harm support system should improve referral times, secure sustainable long-term funding, and fully incorporate and leverage lived experiences to better meet the needs of women and minority communities experiencing harm.

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Learning Report: Improving Outcomes Fund Evaluation

Learning Report: Improving Outcomes Fund Evaluation