Out and about at #NACDA today, and I have been listening carefully to those in attendance.
Three key sessions I saw, which focussed on on sports wagering, the prevention of gambling in college athletics and ways to prioritise health and mental wellbeing for student athletes, and what were the key barriers that kept resurfacing?
* "We don't know what resources are out there to support us."
Well, EPIC can help! Our gambling harm prevention program, for NCAA student athletes and athletic staff, has already been established for two and a half years. We have already educated more than 55,000 individuals across 220 institutions, courtesy of our ongoing agreement with the NCAA. We use industry-leading primary research to inform and develop our programs and have more than a decade's broader experience in the field globally.
* "Our budget for this kind of wellbeing support is limited."
We understand. The even better news is that our NCAA programme is fully-funded and won't cost your institution a dime. Campus visits can be arranged swiftly and we can be out to support you in matter of weeks, at a time to suit your college. One attendee asked me today "So, what's the catch?"... and as I told him (and is now discussing booking us in for a visit), there is none! Protecting athletes, staff and institutions from the potential harms of gambling addiction is the entirety of our mission.
* "It's tricky because we find that some of our athletes won't come forward and talk about it..."
As our Lived Experience Facilitators can each attest, gambling addiction can be 'hidden' and highly stigmatising. By placing the individual at the centre of our program, providing relatable and engaging education for both athletes and staff, we can help you in your quest to achieve a culture of meaningful player care and support, not just one of compliance. As Bishop Desmond Tutu once said, 'There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they're falling in.” When it comes to gambling addiction, we at EPIC understand the not just the 'What' but also - more importantly - the 'Why'.
Whatever the perceived barrier you're facing as an #NCAA college in this area, EPIC Global Solutions can certainly find a way to assist you. If you want us on campus in the coming weeks or months, please drop us a line (or even reach out to me here at NACDA) and we can get it done.
#GamblingHarm #Education #Awareness #NACDA24
#ComplianceCamp #LasVegas
Our team is in place today for #NACDA24 in Las Vegas, ready to explain the benefits of our gambling harm prevention program for your student-athletes and staff if you're an athletic director, compliance officer or wellbeing professional at #NCAA colleges.
Look out for our program manager Simon Wootton and colleagues at the event, as they can book your college in for a visit from our lived experience delivery team to help educate on the potential harms of wagering.
DM Simon via his profile (linked above) if you want to arrange a time for a face-to-face discussion.
#NAAC24 #gambling #gamblingharm #harmprevention #problemgambling