Following our correspondence with the General Manager of Shoalhaven City Council over the past 6-months, GIS (NSW) is pleased to report some successful outcomes from a meeting with their Human Resource Department. At this meeting Shoalhaven City Council undertook to make a number of proactive and informed decisions with regards to how they will address problem gambling in the workplace. We are pleased to now be in the process of working with them collaboratively to bring about a number of both policy and structural changes within the organisation.

These will include:

· The development of a comprehensive addictions policy to include drugs, alcohol and problem gambling (draft currently being reviewed).

· Awareness raising amongst their 800 staff including attaching Nowra Community Health Gambling Program’s brochure to all pay slips and distribution of the Women and Gambling brochure through Council’s Women's Committee.

· Joint presentations from Illawarra Community Health and the GIS (NSW) on problem gambling to be included in a regular 6 –monthly manager/supervisor leadership training.

· Inclusion of information on problem gambling in the organisation’s induction program for staff.

· Inclusion of the GIS (NSW) website on the SCC Intranet service.

· Problem gambling presentations to the regular corporate breakfast meetings hosted by Council for other Shoalhaven Employers.

This is a good example of how the community and employers can work together to address concerns about problem gambling in the workplace. We would like to congratulate Shoalhaven City council on their commitment to this and thank John Evans, Human Services Manager, and members of his team for their active support.

This has been the result of some difficult previous experiences and it is rewarding to find an employer willing to "bite the bullet" and move on to new ground. We look forward to working with them on this project and will be documenting the process and outcomes so others may also benefit from this model.

Both Shoalhaven City Council and ourselves will be able to write this one up as a fine example of community development and community capacity building in action.