TRURO – A workshop designed to teach students about gambling risks will be held today in Truro at the Nova Scotia Community College, Truro campus.
Nova Scotia’s more than 32,000 post-secondary students are experiencing all the rites of life at university and college and many may be faced with making decisions around gambling.
“In general, the rate of gambling participation among people between the ages of 18 to 24 continues to grow,” said Barry Koen-Butt, director, awareness programs and communications at the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC), in a news release “and this same demographic is at a higher risk of developing a gambling problem than the general population.”
To help students gain the knowledge needed to make informed choices about gambling, an innovative peer-to-peer program, Know the Score (kts2), will be at the campus Oct. 22-23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., second floor lobby, Forrester Hall.
“The myth of easy money is a draw for this age group who are often away from home and managing their own money for the first time”, said Koen-Butt. “These young people – who may have a tendency to be risk takers – are often influenced by their social circle. That’s why kts2, with its innovative peer-to-peer format is so key to reaching students both on campus and online.”
Created by RGC and sponsored by the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation, kts2uses interactive displays staffed by kts2representatives and specially-trained students to informally chat with fellow students about the myths associated with gambling, highlight signs of problem gambling, share local problem gambling services and suggest ways to keep gambling safer by learning ways to identify and avoid gambling-related problems.
