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First-Hand Experience Key Method to Prevent Online Gambling Harms in New South Wales
June 16, 2019 Aleksandra Zolotic
New South Wales Office of Responsible Gambling funded the project that aims to help individuals tackle gambling-related issues. The Gambling Impact Society in Australia came up with a new ‘lived experience project’ …
…which strives to aid communities to develop a deeper understanding of the harms caused by web-based gambling, through hearing stories first-hand from individuals who have already experienced such issues.
Inviting People to Share Their Experience
People across the state who have personal experience of the topic are more than welcome to participate and share their story. The aim of the campaign is to take advantage of real-life experiences “as a powerful tool in helping people understand the impact problem gambling can have.” The project will use…
…so-called peer educators who will be required to deliver one-hour community education sessions throughout several regional centers in New South Wales. Those in attendance should encom community , welfare services, community groups, health services, and corporate organizations.
Helping Affected Individuals
The project will strive towards spreading and raising the awareness about problem gambling, at the same time promoting the self-help and the availability of professional to the affected ones. In a media release, it states that “while helping individuals who may be affected by gambling harm, community and welfare services…
…can also benefit from an increased understanding of problem gambling.” This forms part of the NSW government’s record AU$25m funding commitment to assist in coping with the issues in question in communities throughout the entire region. As far as director of the Office of Responsible Gambling, Natalie Wright commented:
“We hope to build community awareness of the harm that can be experienced by some people from online gambling through this project, and encourage those struggling to seek help.”
GambleAware also puts plenty of effort in the prevention and treatment of such problems. The institution invested £3.9m providing for the development of the National Gambling Treatment Service via GamCare and its partners. The main idea is to minimize and overcome all the obstacles that people commonly experience when seeking help.
Destigmatizing the Subject
Katie Roberts, executive officer of GIS, pointed out that direct meeting with somebody who experienced these issues and managed to get past them can actually stimulate people to share their problems. Stressing this as the biggest value of the project, she declared as follows:
“It’s common for people at risk of gambling harm to relate easily to others who have experienced what they are going through and overcome their problem. Starting a conversation can help de-stigmatize the subject of problem gambling and encourage people who are suffering in silence to reach out for help.”
Source:
“First-hand experience key in NSW online gambling harm prevention”, casinobeats.com, June 12, 2019.
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Amazing! There’s no better way to realize the importance of a problem than spending face to face with a person who went through such a stressful experience.