Music a safe bet to reduce harm

WHAT song means the most to you?

That’s the question Cafs and Ballarat North Neighbourhood House will be asking this Tuesday, 19 October as they partner to deliver an online event for Gambling Harm Awareness Week.

Running from this Monday, 18 to Sunday, 24 October, the theme of the week is ‘talk, share, support.’

Cafs’ Gamblers Help community engagement officer John Bradshaw said their session will be run via Zoom, using music as a “stimulus” for people to come together to speak, share stories, and support one another.

“The session is modelled on a BBC Radio 4 show that’s been running for nearly eighty years, Desert Island Discs, where celebrities choose their favourite songs that they would take with them if they were marooned on a desert island,” he said.

“We’re going to get our participants to choose one favourite song, ask them why it means so much to them, and hopefully use that to get them to open up and share stories with other people.

“We know that the brain reacts in a positive way to music, but it also evokes emotions. We’ll have some lived experience speakers as well, talking about their stories of hope and recovery from gambling harm, and understand there’s more to talk about this to really reduce the stigma.”

A short video sharing research into gambling’s impacts on the brain will be screened during the Zoom meeting, and live performers will also be online to sing and play their own music.

“It’s all about using that dopamine hit in the right way,” Mr Bradshaw said.

“Gambling, especially the sights and sensory overload of pokies, can be quite confronting for people, so we’re flipping that to use music in a positive way.”

Cafs receives funding from the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation to provide Gamblers Help services for the Grampians Region, while Mr Bradshaw runs a school education program and public events.

“By the community knowing more about the affects gambling harm can have on individuals and on affected others, it reduces the stigma,” he said.

‘What song means the most to you?’ will be held at 1pm to 2.30pm on Tuesday, 19 October. Visit bit.ly/3iR7ox3 to register your interest.

Any community members over the age of 18 who love music are welcome. With the power of streaming services, Mr Bradshaw can play any tracks attendees have in mind.