The Lived Experience Council (LEC) was launched in December and is made up of individuals who have been affected by gambling harms. The council is supported by a charity which seeks to combat gambling-related harm through their expertise and plans. Currently, the LEC consists of up to 12 members, including a chair, with two seats available for new members. The charity is now accepting applications to join the council and is particularly interested in recruiting individuals who are disproportionately affected by gambling harms, underrepresented, and from minority communities. They encourage applications from young adults aged 18-25, Welsh residents, individuals from minority groups, those with disabilities, and people from socially excluded groups.
The LEC chair, Ben Howard, expressed excitement about the strategic development of GambleAware through the involvement of individuals with lived experience and those impacted by someone else’s gambling. The council aims to include representation from all communities. GambleAware is committed to utilizing lived experience to fulfill its mission of preventing and addressing gambling harms.
GambleAware recently announced the distribution of £1.2m to 22 organizations across Great Britain through its Community Resilience Fund. This initiative, launched last year, aims to reduce health inequalities in the most disadvantaged communities in response to the cost-of-living crisis. Organizations were invited to apply for grants of up to £100,000, and 22 successful applicants will share the £1.2m funding.
