Indigenous and Muticultural assistance:
A number of barriers to equal access and use of services may be perceived or experienced by Indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families. While Central Coast Gambling Help services strive to deliver culturally appropriate service, as the term "culturally diverse" suggests, the nature and magnitude of barriers vary both within and across cultures. To ensure Indigenous and CALD families have a choice of service provider that may perhaps be better able to respond to their needs, or if they require a practitioner of the same cultural background as themselves, the following Gambling Help services are recommended.
Warruwi delivers Aboriginal Safe Gambling Information Workshops to communities across NSW. They work hard to raise awareness of the issues associated with gambling amongst Aboriginal communities and they help identify Aboriginal Safe Gambling Ambassadors in each community. Warruwi offers Gambling Help counselling and support services and provides cultural support, training and direction for the Central Coast Gambling Help services.
You can call Ashley Gordon on 0409 245 597 or email [email protected]. You can also speak to Kerindy Clarke on 0466 918 805 or email [email protected] or you can visit the Warruwi website.
Problem gambling is an issue in migrant communities in Australia as a result of enormous stress from staring a new life in a new place with an array of difficulties, including language barriers and cultural differences, as well as the easy acessability of gambling in Australia.
The Multicultural Problem Gambling Service (MPGS) is a statewide service that assists problem gamblers and their families from culturally and linguistically diverse communities living in NSW by providing quality and accessible counselling, treatment and support services.
Confidential assistance is available to gamblers and their families in more than 40 languages at locations across NSW. Assistance includes free telephone counselling, information advice and referral, one to one counselling in a preferred language, support groups and outreach clinics.
You can contact the multicultural Problem Gambling Service tollfree on: 1800 856 800 or visit the MPGS website.
The Central Coast has the fastest growing Aboriginal community in the country, with a population of around 13,000. Studies show that approximately 20% of Aboriginal people have serious problems with gambling. That's 2,600 people on the Central Coast affected by problem gambling, and yet due to shame, stigma and guilt Aboriginal people are not seeking the help they need...
