The council will be made of up people who have had their lives directly impacted by gambling harm, as well as those indirectly affected through gambling by family or friends.
These council members will use the knowledge and insight they have gained through their experiences to directly inform and advise GambleAware, and the board of trustees.
GambleAware CEO Zoë Osmond said of the announcement: “We are committed to meaningful and inclusive involvement of those with lived experience of gambling harms to ensure their voice is amplified across all areas of our work.”
As well as issuing a call for applicants to sit on the Lived Experience Council, GambleAware is seeking to build and foster a community of individuals with direct knowledge of gambling harm.
In so doing, GambleAware hopes that these individuals will assist the charity in providing information and advice on day-to-day operations.
Osmond went on to say: “The new Council and community members will bring their unique insight, expertise, and knowledge to GambleAware and help us in creating a society free from gambling harms.”
The formation of the Lived Experience Council is a continuation of the work done by GambleAware, to both support and provide funding for community-based groups that focus on tackling issues related to gambling.
Working collaboratively with such community groups, GambleAware has previously established the ALERTS group, a parallel structure to the National Clinician’s Network Forum, which falls under the National Gambling Treatment Service.
This group is comprised of members who have received treatment for harm associated with gambling and/or gambling disorders.
