The GambleAware Mid and Northern NSW team had a very busy week connecting with community throughout NAIDOC week. Members of the team, occasionally accompanied by some of the Lifeline North Coast team, attended the Housing forum at the showground in Coffs Harbour, the ‘Who are you going to call’ forum in Coffs Harbour, Kempsey NAIDOC Week Fun Day, Port Macquarie NADICO Week Fun Day, Coffs Harbour Black n White Ball and the National Aboriginal Wellbeing Conference, held in Coffs Harbour, where Ashley Gordon attended to discuss the impact of Gambling in the Aboriginal Community.

Overall we met with around 70 local community services, in excess of 300 community members, gave away over 300 gift bags with GambleAware information included. We also ran a hugely popular lucky door prize draw which was loved by attendees. Both kids and adults were invited to fill in a slip where they wrote what they have done or were going to do for their nominated elder that week, keeping it in line with the theme for NAIDOC week. People were very engaged with this and two lucky elders won a wonderful gift basket at each of the forums in Coffs Harbour.

Simone and Lucas both express how honoured they felt to be representing GambleAware Mid and Northern NSW at these important community events, and at how well received the gift bags and the lucky door prizes were.

It was a very busy week with lots of brochures and information exchanging hands and many important conversations started. Our experiences this week will well and truly be shaping our community engagement strategy moving forward.