Main Content
Council Votes To Support Midnight Basketball
Pittwater Council has voted to support an innovative sporting program for young people which will begin in October this year.
Midnight Basketball was first devised by youth workers in Redfern in 2006, based on a model in the United States and is now a national program. It involves free participation for 12-18 year olds in an 8-week night-time basketball competition, with transport to and from the venue supplied. Participants are also offered a meal and other support services such as counselling through the program.
The Council voted to adopt the recommendations of a report into Midnight Basketball at its meeting last night.
The report recommended that the Council provide $25,000 in funding for the program in its first year. The funds will be paid to the Youthreach organisation and Midnight Basketball Australia, which will in turn commit $5000 in funds. The funding will support two 8-week tournaments starting in October this year, as well as associated support services.
The tournaments will be hosted at the Northern Beaches Indoor Sports Centre at Narrabeen.
Mayor Harvey Rose said the Council would continue to negotiate with other northern beaches councils to continue the program beyond 2011.
“We’ll be evaluating the success of the program after the first tournament and I’d like to think that if things go well we can get more support to continue it beyond next year,” Mayor Rose said.
Mayor Rose said the Council would also seek support from corporate sponsors. “We have been fortunate to support the program this year through savings in existing budgets, but we can’t guarantee future funding unless we receive help from other sources,” he said.
For more information about the Midnight Basketball program.
Contact: Lindsay Godfrey
Phone: 9970 1166