Badhu Hoops 4 Health more than basketball

BY CHRISTINE HOWES

Three Far North Queensland basketball pioneers working with Hoops 4 Health (H4H) have toured Badhu, Warraber and Waiben this week, hoping to positively impact communities with their vision for re-empowering young people.

Headlining the H4H tour was Nathan Jawai, who has been working with group in Darwin.

“We are looking to make an impact and provide a unique opportunity and develop employability skills to young people in the Straits,” Nate said. “We’ll use our basketball knowledge and leadership from our journeys to impart knowledge for our people.

“We are looking to upskill our young ones in coaching and mentoring skills that also become job worthy skills.”

TOP LEFT: Nathan Jawai engages with the kids on Badhu.

LEFT: Hoops 4 Health staff Nathan Jawai, Timmy Duggan & Deba George with Meriba Ged Ngalpun Mab staff including Godfrey Bero, Neville Johnstone & Michael Peters. Pics supplied.

With Jawai were former NBL players Deba George and Timmy Duggan, both of whom have connections to the far north.

Timmy said the tour was made possible by Merida Ged Ngalpun Mab.

“In the afternoons it’s about engaging the young ones, but during the day we are looking to engage people that may be unemployed or looking for work, and give them some skills around coaching and mentoring as well,” Timmy said.

“We give them some skills, and they end up being H4Hcoaches, so we might have a whole heap of H4H coaches in the region as well even when we leave, and we’ll stay in touch.”

He said that was the H4H model.

“One of the big things is engaging,” he said.

“Engaging activities that get the brain to build resilience.

“We say we’re going to build resilience.

“We don’t want to build vulnerability.

“The activities we use have got a component where it’s engaging the brain to use stress as a means of growing and making better decisions.”

H4H was the 2022 winner of the Northern Territory’s Communities in Action Suicide Prevention Award and the Australian Men’s Health Forum national winner.

Last year 32 newly accredited coaches joined the H4H team as a result of their work on communities.

All participants have the opportunity to earn H4H Accreditation and use their skills to mentor and lead others in their community.

Pics from Warraber & Waiben to come in next week’s issue J