Nurturing young hopes through inspirational hoops

The City of Canning has successfully completed the third round of the Urban Art, Hoops, and Well-being Program. This round focused on empowering young individuals through the love of basketball.

Funded with the help of a grant by Department of Justice for Criminal Property Confiscation, this 10-week program has created a powerful impact on the lives of young people in Canning by creating a healthy, collaborative environment to express themselves and build friendships, demonstrate teamwork, and reduce boredom-induced anti-social behaviour that has been identified in the area by the City of Canning and WA Police.

Held at Cannington Leisureplex, the program serves as a cultural meeting point by bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds while also functioning as a holistic platform for personal growth, physical activity and essential life skills such as decision-making, responsibility, and fair play.

In a collaborative partnership with Reffing Hoops and participation from professional basketball organisations – Perth Wildcats and Perth Lynx, these talented players have motivated young people with valuable insights into the sport, igniting their passion for basketball.

“The Perth Lynx were delighted to take part in the Canning Hoops program this year. The work that the City of Canning, Department of Justice and WAPOL do to create this program is extremely valuable in the community. We were so excited to be able to be a small part of this program and the ability to grow the great game of basketball and the profile of the Perth Lynx in the community.” said Samantha Macpherson, spokesperson for Perth Lynx.

Young people aspiring to be umpires could access a clear pathway to gain umpire qualifications and develop expertise in competition management.

Mayor Patrick Hall said by offering young people the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of basketball umpiring, it will empower the participants to have a deeper understanding of the sport and open doors to potential future roles in basketball.

“By integrating local service providers and professional basketball teams, we've created a holistic support system for our young people. It's about instilling qualities like leadership, teamwork, and fairness that will serve them well in all aspects of life,” said Mayor Hall.

The last round of the Urban Art, Hoops, and Well-being Program will be a continuation of the mural mentorship workshop and will kick off on 16 October at Bentley Community Centre.

For more information or to register, contact the City of Canning Youth Services at youth.services@canning.wa.gov.au.