Inner West scores Odds on Youth grants for gambling harm prevention
Thursday 13 February 2020
Five Inner West projects have received $185,000 in funding as part of the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling’s Odds on Youth program.
Odds on Youth is a capacity building program for youth organisations to reduce gambling harm among young people who access their services.
Many of the funded projects are located in Inner West Council, where staff have been working actively with the Office of Responsible Gambling as a result of a recent Council resolution to minimise gambling harm.
As well as co-hosting a one day gambling harm education workshop aimed at youth workers, Council also assisted in assessing and determining the successful Inner West projects.
NSW Office of Responsible Gambling Director Natalie Wright said that even though overall gambling participation was decreasing in NSW, young people aged 18-24 are more likely to experience gambling problems and are more vulnerable to gambling harm[1].
“That’s why programs like Odds on Youth, and other initiatives for young people, are so important.
“By working with youth organisations we are able to fund projects that engage with young people and their families to stop gambling harm before it occurs”, Ms Wright said.
“We are also looking forward to furthering our partnership opportunities with Inner West Council,” she said.
The grants have been awarded to the following organisations:
• Glebe Youth Service: Hip Hop – Gambling Stop – an eight-week program which will include workshops and the recording of a Hip Hop Song
• headspace Ashfield: The Longer You Play the More You Lose – a series of psychoeducation and harm-minimisation workshops for Inner West high school students and young people at risk of homelessness.
• Marrickville Youth Resource Centre: Safe Bet on Strengthening Youth, Families & Communities – workshops and community screen-free events for young people aged 12-17 and their parents or guardians.
• Mission Australia: Odds on Youth Early Intervention Program – information days, small group sessions, workshops and events for young people aged 15-24
• Youth off the Streets: Youth off the Streets Gambling Intervention – workshops in their specialist homeless service, drug and alcohol centre and the Links to Learning program.
Odds on Youth will be also rolled out in South West Sydney from March 2020.
For more information, please visit the NSW Office of Responsible Gambling website: https://www.responsiblegambling.nsw.gov.au/education-and-awareness/youth-education
For media enquiries, contact Elizabeth Heath, Media and Communications Coordinator, 2 9392 5334 or Elizabeth.Heath@innerwest.nsw.gov.au