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By rdnewsNOW Staff

REconnect Project: Hoops Unite

Ubuntu Youth Council reconnects youth through basketball event

Jul 22, 2022 | 5:22 PM

The Ubuntu Youth Council will be hosting Hoops Unite, an event aiming to bring young Red Deerians together through basketball.

The games will be on July 24 at Red Deer Polytechnic’s Main Gym (100 College Blvd), and July 31 and August 7 at the G.W. Harris Full Performance Gym (120 College Cir).

The event was created through the City’s REconnect Community Initiative Funding Grant. Part of the Family and Community Support Services Red Deer and District’s Emergent Funding Stream, the initiative supports projects that reach out, build and rebuild social connections between people, especially those who are isolated, following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The council says their REconnect Project, Hoops Unite, was created to connect all youth in the community, especially Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).

“With technology and social media filling up youth’s lives, this project aims to bring youth outside of their electronic devices and give them access to training, coaching, and building skills without the financial barrier of playing sports, such as basketball,” said the council in a release.

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The group says they anticipate the youth involved will explore their skills inside the court and utilize their court skills in the outside world with the element of fun.

“Through teamwork and communication, the involved youth will learn how to lead by being a friend and family to the diverse communities in central Alberta,” the council said.

The goal of Hoops Unite, they say, is to create a community, where youth have the confidence to be their authentic selves and to be bold in putting themselves out in society.

In return, they believe it will result in creating relationships among youth participants despite the differences they may have.

On August 12 at Festival Hall (4214 58 St), the progress made by the young individuals will be showcased through a tournament linked to the celebration of International Youth Day, a recurring annual event hosted by the Youth Council.

Youth participants aged 14 to 25 are free to sign up in the bio of Ubuntu Youth Council’s Instagram page @ubuntu.yc and by sending an email to ubuntu.youthcouncil@gmail.com.

Further announcements about Hoops Unite will be made on Ubuntu Youth Council’s Instagram.

The Ubuntu Youth Council’s mission is to empower youth in central Alberta, specifically those part of the BIPOC community, by creating an all-inclusive environment. Last year, the council organized a food drive, barbeque, and basketball tournament for International Youth Day. They’ve also created a project titled Spoken Diaries involving BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ+, and special needs individuals, to discuss ways to dismantle what they say are oppressive systems.

The council is part of Ubuntu-Mobilizing Central Alberta, a community organization working to mobilize community members, partners and leaders on equity, diversity and inclusion.