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Funding for youth basketball
21/08/2008
A basketball initiative which has already had a positive impact in Glasgow is to be extended to include 12,000 more young people in five other Scottish cities.
The latest phase of the 'CashBack for Communities' scheme will invest nearly £1.8 million of money taken from criminals over three years to expand Twilight Basketball and school-based basketball activities to Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Inverness and Stirling.
Scottish Sports Futures (SSF) working with Basketball Scotland (BS) will deliver diversionary basketball activities in the five cities. The funding will also enable both organisations to provide support to schools and clubs for basketball activities outwith the cities so that the benefits can be spread further once capacity is built.
The Twilight Basketball programme will target young people on Friday and Saturday nights.
The funding will also enable SSF to deliver Jump2it, their basketball programme for primary schools, to the five cities involved; and for Basketball Scotland to work with schools and local authorities to increase secondary school participation in basketball activities.
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said:
"Twilight Basketball is already making a real difference to the lives of young people in many parts of Glasgow blighted by antisocial behaviour and gang activity.
"Although our cities are great places to live and work, there are areas within them that are blighted by antisocial behaviour and youth disorder.
"The devil finds work for idle hands and that is why this Government is committed to giving our young people positive things to do with their lives. We want to show them that there is more to life than drink, drugs and offending.
"Basketball as a street game can help stop kids from getting into trouble or up to mischief. Its a game they watch on tv and see in other media outlets. Now they are getting a chance to play it.
"Through this latest phase of our CashBack for Communities scheme, we are taking the ill gotten gains of criminals and using them to fund basketball activities to give young people living in our cities the opportunity to realise their potential and to be all they can be.
"Through all the activities funded by CashBack, we are providing new and innovative outlets for our young people to stop them getting into mischief."
Ian Reid CEO of the charity Scottish Sports Futures said
"This CashBack for Communities investment is a ground breaking initiative which brings together for the first time in the UK, the Government, a Charity, a Governing Body and Professional Athletes to deliver "Education through Sport" programmes in major centres of population in Scotland.
"Sport has the ability to dismantle cultural and territorial barriers, to change attitudes and to inspire our young people. Add to this potent mix a twist of education, which will enable young people to make positive lifestyle choices, and we might just have a recipe for success."
Rob Yanders, Captain of The Scottish Rocks pro basketball team said:
"In my early years I made some bad decisions which almost cost me my life. I worked my way through some difficult times. Because of this I have a good understanding of the challenges which face young people on the streets in Scotland. All of us at the Rocks are looking forward to being involved in this expansion programme.
"The success of our delivery in Glasgow over the last 5 years means we now have a chance to take this great project nationwide. With the support of the Government we look forward to playing our part in building a Safer and Stronger Scotland"
Kevin Pringle, Basketball Scotland said:
"Basketball Scotland are delighted to be working in partnership with SSF to increase basketball opportunities throughout Scotland. Our role will be to develop pathways for the many players engaged through the Twilight and Jump2It programmes to ensure that they remain engaged in sport when they graduate from these programmes. It's an exciting project that will potentially have a huge impact on the many youngsters and on our sport."
Dundee City Council leisure, arts and communities convener Richard McCready said:
"The scheme has already proved to be very successful here in Dundee and I am delighted that we are to receive extra funding for a very worthwhile project."
In June 2008 Kenny MacAskill a new approach to reinvesting the money from proceeds of crime to benefit Scotland's communities and especially those hardest hit by crime by investing in services and activities which could make a real difference to young people's lives.
Already through the CashBack for Communities scheme, funding has been announced for initiatives for youth football and rugby, culture and arts activities and support for youth projects in every local authority area in Scotland.
Jump2it is a health and citizenship led primary schools programme designed to improve the knowledge of young people by promoting increased physical activity and exercise while highlighting the risks of poor diet, smoking and drug and alcohol abuse. These issues are tackled in an entertaining and interactive manner with Scottish Rocks professional basketball players delivering the initial content in the schools.
The breakdown of the funding for the two organisations is as follows: SSF - £1,398,101 / SB - £342,994.
Scottish Sports Futures were established in 2000 and seeks to encourage young people to engage in sport and physical activities as a way of bringing about positive behavioural change and active citizenship. The organisation uses basketball as a positive diversionary medium for introducing young people, especially those living in disadvantaged communities, to sport and healthy living.