A GAMBLING harm prevention event is being held later this month to coincide with an awareness week about the issue.<\/p>\n
Taking place at Barkly Square on Thursday, 20 October, Gambling With Your Health? is a free initiative of Gambling Harm Prevention Ballarat.<\/p>\n
Organiser Lynda Genser is a reformed gambler of 15 years and was involved in Ballarat Community Health\u2019s harm prevention project on the issue that concluded in June.<\/p>\n
She said she was eager to carry on that message through the upcoming event.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis means a lot to me because I was lucky my children supported me when they found out about my problem,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout services like Gambler\u2019s Help, without my family, without people who were understanding, I wouldn\u2019t be where I am today.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose that are addicted need help, and the only way they\u2019re going to get it is by people in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Paul Fung from gambling harm advocacy group Three Sides of the Coin will be a guest speaker on the day.<\/p>\n
Panellists include Member for Buninyong, Michaela Settle, Ballarat East Neighbourhood House manager Sarah Greenwood-Smith, and Gambler\u2019s Help community engagement officer at Cafs, John Bradshaw.<\/p>\n
Mr Bradshaw said the presentations will tie into the week\u2019s theme of gambling affecting people\u2019s wellbeing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s all about those health-based conversations and getting the community together to connect socially, to support each other, share stories of open recovery and dispel stigma,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know in the year to June 2022, we spent nearly $54 million in 14 venues on the pokies here in Ballarat. About 630,000 Victorian adults experience some form of gambling harm each year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be talking about what services are available here and how gambling affects our young people and how we can recognise those signs.\u201d<\/p>\n
The event will take place from 12pm to 2pm with a free lunch provided.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A GAMBLING harm prevention event is being held later this month to coincide with an awareness week about the issue. Taking place at Barkly Square on Thursday, 20 October, Gambling With Your Health? is a free initiative of Gambling Harm Prevention Ballarat. Organiser Lynda Genser is a reformed gambler of 15 years and was involved […]<\/p>\n