April 15, 2016 (Rochester, NY) ─ Calling all youth ages 12-17 interested in increasing awareness about underage gambling among their peers! The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence – Rochester Area (NCADD-RA ) is partnering with the New York Council on Problem Gambling on the 2016 YOU(th) Decide outreach project.

Project goals include:

•  Increasing awareness of the issue of underage gambling and the importance of decreasing youth access
  to gambling among parents of school aged youth and community leaders.
• Increasing awareness of key media literacy facts.
• Increasing youth awareness of the common misperceptions of gambling.
• Increasing parental action toward the issue of underage gambling.

During this project, which runs through October 30th, NCADD-RA will be offering, upon request, youth problem gambling media literacy training. We are seeking youth who are interested in becoming involved in advocacy activities in their school or community.  Sample policies will be shared with youth to advocate for gambling-free events and/or gambling policies in their school and/or community.

For further information on how you can be involved in effecting policy change at an upcoming event at your school or after-school club, contact Jennifer Faringer at (585) 719-3480 or email jfaringer@depaul.org. More information may be found on NCADD-RA’s YOU(th) Decide project and other problem gambling related activities, and resources by visiting our website at www.ncadd-ra.org or the Problem Gambling page.

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-Rochester Area (NCADD-RA) provides education, resources and referrals for family members affected by the problem gambling of a loved one. Presentations are available upon request to parent, school and community groups to increase awareness to the potential risks of problem gambling with emphasis on the risks associated with underage problem gambling.