2005 Report

May 9-15th 2005

As we close on another successful week of activities it has been exciting to see the momentum of this awareness week growing and its increased publicity. We are still gathering information on all the many activities held across the State but are pleased to report a growing level of involvement from gambling services, gambling venues and community services across NSW.

Here at the GIS we sent out 500 information packs across NSW to all NSW TAFE libraries, regional libraries, gambling services, and in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven all clubs, hotels and community welfare services.

The packs included posters with our cheery Cheshire cat, information about the Awareness Video and Youth CD, a facts on gambling information sheet, press release about the week and a series of drinks coasters designed as “calls to action” for those who may be feeling lonely, depressed, stressed or running up debts to “Pause off the Pokies”.

The coasters were a new idea and we weren’t sure how well they would be received particularly by some gambling venues. However, it was rather novel shortly after their release, to receive my first counselling referral from a drinks coaster! It was very heartening – picked up by the client in a club and then they had found additional information pack material back at their workplace – a welfare service. So good on the club who had the coasters out there and thanks to all those GIS members/volunteers who spent hours packing the information because it obviously had an impact.

Additional activities through out the week saw us developing a major display in the City library, donating our videos and CD’s to the five libraries in the Shoalhaven, a launch of the Youth & Gambling CD at Nowra Youth Centre and numerous radio and press interviews. I was also invited as a guest to launch the Illawarra Women’s Health Centre’s new information booklet – Creating the Fabric -Women Weaving New Lives and Overcoming Gambling. A wonderful new resource for any woman whose life has been affected by problem gambling.

Across the State we heard of shopping centre information displays, an awareness dinner held in the Hunter attended by the Minster for Department of Gaming & Racing – which we understand may have been how people caught up with the cat on TV, and the ongoing distribution of information resources.

At the NSW Council of Problem Gambling we are busily engaged in discussions across States to see this develop into a National Week in 2006 so start your planning now dates are May 8 – 14th. There will be a sub-committee meeting at Epping on Wednesday June 8th, 3.00 – 5.00 after the general meeting and it would be good to have your input. So any feedback/ideas you want to share e-mail me at robertsk@iahs.nsw.gov.au. Looking forward to hearing from you and building on our experiences again for next year.

Keep up the good work,

Kate Roberts—Chairperson

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