Context
The National Betting Authority (NBA) was established in 2012 as a legal public entity, currently governed by the Betting Law of 2019. It is an independent supervisory authority with financial independence and autonomy. The Authority’s main responsibilities are the regulation, supervision and monitoring of the betting activity in the Republic of Cyprus. Among its main responsibilities is the implementation of prevention initiatives for the protection of young people, vulnerable groups and society from gambling-related harm and gambling addiction. Towards that end, the NBA has drafted its Safer Gambling Strategy for 2022–2025, which is based on the public health model and is further realised by four main strategic pillars: protect, prevent, support and mobilise. This public health lens emphasises that in addition to individual responsibility, there is a clear responsibility of all stakeholders (state, gambling service providers, family environment, etc.) for strengthening a safe environment and preventing any negative consequences, as well as dealing with any pathological behaviours. Guided by its Safer Gambling Strategy, the Authority has implemented various prevention initiatives, which aim to strengthen mental resilience, reduce vulnerability and increase protective factors.
Objectives
One of the Authority’s initiatives is the creation of the ‘Young Cities Programme’, which is a holistic approach aimed at empowering young citizens to become agents of positive change in their local communities. The purpose is to create inclusive communities through an innovative and highly participatory process, which focuses on the creativity and energy of the youth. Through the programme, young people have the opportunity to cultivate contemporary skills and promote a culture of active citizenship. Local youth groups of 20–30 participants (aged 14–35) are created in selected local areas, where they are called to identify the challenges they face in their communities, exchange ideas, propose solutions and secondly, to act by implementing their ideas through synergies and close cooperation with the directly interested stakeholders (local authorities, local companies, associations and institutions working at the local and national level).
Implementation
The programme has been implemented since 2020 in 12 localities in Cyprus with more than 300 young citizens being actively engaged. For the selection of young people, existing structures and stakeholders are being utilised, such as the Community Youth Councils, Youth Centres and/or local NGOs. The selected youth groups receive the necessary training in leadership and creativity, under the guidance of experienced educators and youth animators, raising awareness among the broader local communities about the positive dynamics of youth participation and creation through informative actions.
The youth groups from six municipalities have already designed, presented/pitched their ideas, which gained the support of local authorities, stakeholders and donors. The project up to now has been implemented in 12 communities and the financial resources so far are €320 000 (€140 000 for the implementation of the programme and €180 000 for the ideas development).