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Problem Gambling Education Kit For Schools Launched

Informing kids so that they can make their own decisions, making them aware of their own health and welfare

By Latrobe City Council - 4th June 2002 - Back to News

Latrobe City Council recently launched its health education kit entitled ‘Problem gambling today – you figure it out’. Present at the launch, held at Latrobe House, Morwell, were Cr Peter Tyler, Mr Tim Falkiner, Chairman of ‘Know the Odds’ and Jenny Wood, Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning Coordinator, Kurnai Maryvale Campus, representing the municipality’s secondary schools.

Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Brendan Jenkins, said that Council believed the distribution of the kits would help to educate young people and help protect them against the hardships of problem gambling.

"It is about looking at a range of issues and informing kids so that they can make their own decisions, and also making them aware of their own health and welfare," Cr Jenkins said.

The kit, aimed at secondary schools was produced by ‘Know the Odds’, a charitable educational organisation, and is being made available to every secondary school in Latrobe City through a Council grant. Ms Wood said the kits would be an invaluable resource for teachers and students.

Cr Jenkins said Council had a strong track record in regard to awareness of the problems caused by gambling in the community, and in taking action through initiatives such as Latrobe’s Gambling Accreditation Charter program. "Providing support for this initiative, which raises the awareness of problem gambling with our younger citizens, can only help the community step further forward on these issues," Cr Jenkins added.

Mr Tim Falkiner, Chairman of ‘Know the Odds’, advised that the education kits were suitably designed and produced for Years 9 - 12 students to address problem gambling as a health issue.

"The kit complements health education curricula, dealing with other addictive behaviours. Its purpose is to waterproof or immunise the young against problem gambling and to enable young people, through greater understanding, to better cope where they come into a relationship with a problem gambler," Mr Falkiner said.

Latrobe City Councillor, Peter Tyler, said that the kit had two themes.

"One theme deals with the nature of gambling and why it is potentially addictive, and the other deals with the effect that problem gambling has on the problem gambler and those in a relationship with the problem gambler," Cr Tyler explained.

"The kit is built around a twenty minute video and the notes are structured so that the teacher can give expert answers in fielding any likely questions from the class," Cr Tyler concluded.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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