Understand Gambling Harm Through the Pacific Lens

This course builds on Asian Family Services’ Respond to Gambling Harm Foundation training and is designed to support the primary health workforce to respond to gambling harm with Pacific peoples in culturally grounded, respectful, and stigma-reducing ways.

You’ll explore how Pacific values and worldviews shape experiences of gambling harm, and how approaches such as Vā and Talanoa can help create safer, more open conversations. Through a case example, you’ll apply these principles in practice, building confidence to uphold dignity, foster trust, and connect people with appropriate support.

Who the course is for: Health professionals in New Zealand
Duration: 1.5 hours

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Describe how Pacific values and cultural contexts influence experiences and expressions of gambling harm.
Recognise how shame and stigma can act as barriers to disclosure and help-seeking among Pacific peoples.
Apply the principles of Vā and Talanoa when engaging Pacific clients about gambling harm.
Identify culturally responsive ways to screen, support, and refer Pacific clients to appropriate services.

Pre-requisites

None

Course outline

This course is made up of three short units:

Each unit builds on the last, moving from understanding, to reflection, to practice.

Unit 1 | Pacific Contexts of Gambling Harm

1.0
Understanding cultural context, shame, and stigma.

Unit 2 | Vā and Talanoa in Practice

2.0
Exploring relational safety and culturally responsive conversations.

Unit 3 | Applying Vā, Talanoa, and Reducing Stigma

3.0
Practising these approaches through a case study character's story, including referral and follow-up.