Our story

0:00 Narrator Oakdene House is a special place. An oasis of calm, compassion and hope in an often chaotic world.

0:13 Anne Marie Durnan It's a place where people actually can come and feel not judged at all.

0:18 Narrator Here, free counselling and support services are offered to people affected by addiction. Its support Anne Marie Durnan knows first hand can change lives.

0:29 Anne Marie Durnan Unfortunately after a year of marriage my husband left and it just happened to be the same timing as pokies arriving in Victoria. That was the beginning of the end.

0:38 Narrator After seeking help for her gambling addiction, Anne Marie has now been in recovery for 14 years. Today she's helping others take those same first steps.

0:50 Anne Marie Durnan They say connection is the opposite of addiction and that's priceless.

0:55 Anthony Sobb Our job is to treat everyone with dignity, courtesy and respect.

0:59 Narrator Anthony Sobb is founding chairman of Oakdene House and long time CEO of nearby Fairfield RSL.

1:07 Anthony Sobb We have a phrase here, we do things differently at Fairfield RSL. I come from lived experience in relation to addiction, over four generations in my family.

1:14 Reporter So you've seen it?

1:15 Anthony Sobb Yeah I have.

1:16 Narrator The idea for Oakdene House was born after Anthony visited the International Problem Gambling Centre in Las Vegas and realised there was more his own club could do.

1:27 Professor Bo Bernhard Very much like alcohol there's a percentage of the population that really has adverse consequences to their gambling.

1:36 Narrator Professor Bo Bernhard from the University of Nevada is one of the world's leading researchers in gambling harm and responsible gaming.

1:45 Professor Bo Bernhard Over the last quarter century the science on treatment has really evolved and treatment is now really really good. Anthony Sobb is the only gaming executive I've ever had in 25 years of teaching who asked to go to the Problem Gambling Centre and sit with people who are going through treatment and listen to their stories of pain.

2:07 Mark Henson One thing is for sure you can't beat this stuff on your own.

2:10 Narrator According to lead counsellor Mark Henson, who was in recovery himself, the greatest victories experienced at Oakdene House aren't simply about what people give up, but what they gain.

2:21 Mark Henson It's about rebuilding the families, getting back together. Now they've got children, now they're getting on with their lives.

2:27 Tom Simpson There should be an Oakdene House in every state in Australia.

2:30 Narrator But board member Tom Simpson, who for many years also experienced addiction, the success of Oakdene House comes down to its people.

2:39 Reporter When you are an addict, what's it like coming to a place like Oakdene House?

2:44 Tom Simpson I don't know Tim, it's hard to explain, but if I've never had cancer, it's no good when they're going to a cancer clinic and saying I know how you feel. Because I really don't. But when someone that's been there and tells you about it, you just know, they know what we're talking about, they're genuine.

3:02 Narrator Now, through the work of Oakdene Foundation, that support extends even further, helping people facing food insecurity, financial hardship and domestic violence through a nearby community kitchen, laundrette and ladies boutique.

3:17 Speaker This is a very unique way of a club supporting its community.

3:22 Reporter What do you say to critics?

3:25 Anthony Sobb You don't do anything and you're apathetic. You do do something and you shouldn't be involved in that. So I just made a conscious decision to say that I was going to do something about it.

3:36 Narrator For Anne Marie Durnan,

3:37 Anne Marie Durnan I think to myself, what would have happened if this was around back then?

3:41 Narrator The impact of the work done at Oakdene House every day isn't measured in appointments, programs or services, but in the hope of helping someone reclaim their life.

3:52 Reporter What's it like seeing someone that has recovered?

3:54 Anne Marie Durnan I'd probably cry. The relief someone gets, it's like the chains have been cut and they get to be the best version of themselves again.