Local groups awarded $2.4 million to prevent gambling harm

Eleven health and community organisations have been awarded $2.4 million ongoing funding for gambling harm prevention projects across Victoria.

The groups, including Odyssey House Victoria, IncoLink and Latrobe Community Health, will work on a range of projects to highlight the risks of gambling and promote responsible gambling.

Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation CEO Serge Sardo says the Foundation's prevention program is aimed at the most at-risk communities.

"These projects will target building apprentices, international students, Indigenous and Vietnamese communities who are at higher risk of developing gambling problems."

"There is also a focus on educating and up-skilling key workers of the justice system, local councils, alcohol and other drugs clinicians," he said.

Minister for Gaming and Liquor Regulation Jane Garrett says the funding reinforces Victoria's position as a leader in addressing harm from gambling.

"Like with other public health issues, prevention is critical. These projects will target vulnerable communities and groups where there is a higher risk of developing gambling problems," she said.

This is the second round of funding for these groups after the Foundation expanded its prevention program in 2014.   Projects being funded for 1 December 2015 to 30 June 2017 include:

• Odyssey House Victoria: Train alcohol and other drugs clinicians to identify and respond to clients affected by both gambling and substance misuse.
• IncoLink: Educate 3,500 building apprentices in TAFEs across Victoria about the risks of gambling.
• St Luke's Anglicare: Work with the criminal justice system to deliver gambling training and resources for workers.
• Monash City Council: Increase awareness about the risks of gambling with people living in the Clayton area & create a toolkit for Gambler's Help community educators.
• Latrobe Community Health Service: Develop culturally appropriate resources for Indigenous communities in the Gippsland region.
• Victorian Local Government Association: Increase the knowledge and awareness of local council workers to assisting with minimise harms from gambling in their councils.
• Australian Vietnamese Association: Engage with Victorian Vietnamese community and increase awareness of gambling related harm.
• Carer's Victoria: Work with bilingual workers from peak ethnic groups to help their senior groups understand the risks associated with gambling recreationally.
• Whittlesea Community Connections: Develop strategies with workplaces that employ a large number of shift workers to reduce gambling related harm.
• Women's Health in the North: Develop and deliver training resource that assist those clients that experience gambling related harm and family violence.