The Secret Lives of Families

Looking back at the AIRwaves project

Join us as we speak to members of our community and reflect on the AIRwaves project, which was funded by the Victorian Responsible Gambling Foundation to raise awareness and promote discussion in regional communities about the potential impact of gambling on families and how to prevent gambling harm.  We spoke on the radio and held online and in-person events in eight regional communities across the state. In the course of our work we discovered that these different and very diverse communities all had something in common: many among them were keeping their gambling secret, or believing there wasn't a problem because it's legal and everyone does it. Instead of acknowledging the harm caused by gambling, many were instead blaming alcohol and illicit substances, or simply their own rotten luck. This project has highlighted the urgency and importance of this issue across the state, and to that end we have changed our name to Family Drug & Gambling Help.

Paul - Secrets and lies

For many years Paul kept his gambling addiction secret from family and friends.    In coming clean and telling the truth he not only lifted an immense personal burden but found more love and support than he ever expected.   The show is brought to you by Family Drug & Gambling Help (FDGH), which is a service of the Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC). SHARC is a Victorian peer-led service that believes the voices of people with lived experience of alcohol and other drugs and gambling issues should be heard.     FDGH provides a number of services for families across the state and has a helpline for families at 1300 660 068.   The views expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of FDGH or SHARC. Names and identifying details may have been changed.

Fiona - Losing it all

Fiona believed she was pursuing a shared dream of contented family life in central Victoria. However, as the extent of her husband's gambling problem became all too clear, she faced a nightmare that would be a struggle to recover from.    Fiona tells her personal story, sharing valuable insights for any family in a similar situation.   The show is brought to you by Family Drug & Gambling Help (FDGH), which is a service of the Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC). SHARC is a Victorian peer-led service that believes the voices of people with lived experience of alcohol and other drugs and gambling issues should be heard.     FDGH provides a number of services for families across the state and has a helpline for families at 1300 660 068.   The views expressed in this podcast are not necessarily the views of FDGH or SHARC. Names and identifying details may have been changed.