→ Nunkuwarrin Yunti of SA Aboriginal Health Service

Aboriginal young people have rapped out stories of being left alone, going without food and the fear being made homeless to help draw attention to the effects of problem gambling.

Risky Business – a 14-track CD – is the end result of an innovative song writing and recording program, involving more than 100 young people in Adelaide and regional centres across South Australia.

"All the kids had really powerful stories to tell," says Mandy Brown, project coordinator with Nunkuwarrin Yunti, Adelaide's Aboriginal Health Service. "This wasn't an issue that we needed to introduce – it was something they'd all experienced first-hand in their family or community."

During a two-day workshop, the young people worked together to develop lyrics, settle on a music style – all chose rap – and finally record their song with producer Tristan Watkins.

"The kids were into it from the word go," says Mandy. "Music is a universal language and it builds on the Aboriginal tradition of story telling."

The Risky Business project is part of Nunkuwarrin Yunti's successful 'Tune into Your Health' music program that has seen young people singing and learning about mental health (Making up your mind) and Hepatitis C (It's in your blood).

"Every five minutes about $10,000 is lost through gaming machines in South Australia," says Michael McCabe, who established the program with Micah Wenitong and Garry Goldsmith. "Aboriginal children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of problem gambling, yet it is rarely mentioned in child and maternal health reports."

The Risky Business CD was launched during Gambling Awareness Week in May 2006, with follow up 'mini-launches' taking place in each community that participated in the project.

"The launches will be a celebration of the terrific talent and contribution made by the young people," says Mandy. "But they'll also be an opportunity to raise the issue of problem gambling in a non-threatening way and introduce people from Break Even and other gambling support services so the community knows what sort of help is available."

According to Mandy, the project was effective because it allowed young people to speak out about an issue that has a big effect on their daily lives.

"The songs allow kids to say to the adults 'hey, this is what gambling is doing to us' in a safe and constructive way. The adults might feel a bit hurt to hear that – and there might be some shame too – but it starts a conversation about how to best to deal with the problem."

Nunkuwarrin Yunti works closely with community-based Aboriginal health, youth and education organisations to run the Tune into Your Health program. The Risky Business project was funded by the South Australian Department for Families and Communities.

Find out more

Nunkuwarrin Yunti of SA Inc
Phone: 08 8223 5217
Website: www.nunku.org.au

Gambling 24/7 Help (South Australia): 1800 060 757