Training for health and community workers
Social workers, psychologists, counsellors and other community workers supporting clients affected by gambling can be more effective with the right training.
In your capacity as a health or community worker, gambling is probably not your area of expertise. There’s no question, it can be challenging to talk to someone about how gambling impacts their life and the people close to them – especially when mental health may be a factor. The knowledge you gain from evidence-based training will help your conversations and interventions to have positive outcomes.
Understanding Gambling Harm in NSW
Understanding Gambling Harm in NSW is designed for anyone interested in learning how to manage and reduce gambling-related harm. It is especially useful for anyone that has been affected or knows someone affected by the negative impacts of gambling.
This course will:
- Describe how the gambling environment has changed over the last 30 years
- Identify how gambling products and their promotions (or advertising) can contribute to risky patterns of gambling
- Identify how socio-cultural factors (such as peer group behaviours, or the accessibility and availability of gambling) may influence regular and routine gambling behaviours,
- Report the range of harms that individuals can experience from gambling.
- Identify strategies to support individuals who may be experiencing the negative impacts of gambling.
Note that a certificate of completion is not available with this course but can be purchased if desired.
Public Health Approaches to Preventing Gambling Harm in NSW Course
Public Health Approaches to Preventing Gambling Harm in NSW Course is designed for practitioners to educate on the risks and harms associated with gambling, its importance as a public health issue and ways to manage the impact at an individual and community level.
This course aims to help:
- Identify the factors that influence gambling and develop strategies to support people experiencing the negative impacts of gambling.
- Increase awareness of how gambling harm can be prevented from a population perspective.
- Increase understanding of responsible gambling paradigms, and why they are no longer considered best practice in helping to prevent or reduce gambling harm.
This course must be completed within two weeks of enrolment or you may be prompted for payment to continue participating in the course.
Gambling Harm Minimisation 3.5-hour online workshop
Format: Online
Duration: 3.5 hours
Cost: $100
This 3.5-hour online workshop on Gambling Harm Minimisation will provide you with practical strategies for working with clients who are experiencing negative impacts from gambling.
It’s targeted at social workers, counsellors, and other community sector workers.
- the signs of problematic gambling behaviour in an individual
- related co-morbid conditions
- existing services to assist with gambling issues.
And you’ll learn how to:
- raise the issue of problematic gambling with an individual
- recognise any co-morbid conditions and their impact
- provide initial psychoeducation to the individual
- make a referral to assist with gambling issues.
The workshop is delivered by the Centre for Community Welfare Training, in partnership with us.
Mental Health First Aid: Conversations about Gambling 4-hour workshop
Format: Face to face or online
Cost: Free
This 4-hour course is based on guidelines developed through the expert consensus of people with lived experience of mental health problems and professionals.
You’ll learn:
- how to approach someone about their gambling problems
- the risk factors, signs and symptoms and motivations which may underpin gambling problems
- how relapse might affect someone with gambling problems
- how to manage your own self-care when helping someone with a gambling problem.
You’ll also have the opportunity to practise your new skills in a safe environment.
This is an education course to learn how to give first aid to others, and is not a therapy or support group. It is delivered by Mental Health First Aid Australia with funding from the Responsible Gambling Fund.
Mental Health First Aid: Talking about Gambling
Format: Face to face or online
Cost: Free
This 5-hour course teaches participants how to provide initial support to an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person who may be experiencing gambling problems, until professional help is received, or any crises resolves.
Participants will be able to:
- Recognise the cultural signs and symptoms that indicate someone may be experiencing gambling problems.
- Understand the prevalence of gambling problems in Australia, with specific information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
- Understand cultural concepts and considerations from an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander perspective.
- Understand the risk factors and motivations for gambling, and the relationship between problem gambling and mental health problems.
- Use an evidence-based action plan to initiate a mental health first aid conversation.
- Gain an understanding of the evidence-based, local and cultural supports, resources and treatments available to someone experiencing gambling problems.
- Know the barriers to help seeking and how to overcome these.
- Know how to recognise signs and provide initial support to someone who may be at risk of suicide.
- Understand relapse in the context of gambling problems.
- Apply self-care practices as a Mental Health First Aider.
