RESOURCES

Midnight Basketball Australia recognises the contribution made by its community members to make Midnight Basketball programs so successful across the country.

Community members have shared with us many stories about their experiences of being involved in tournaments. Whilst individual experiences are unique, we receive ongoing reports of the enjoyment and satisfaction of working in their community with their young people and getting to know them.

Midnight Basketball acknowledges that to be able to interact, respond and work with young people we need to understand what challenges they face and what is relevant in the lives of Australia's young people. As part of supporting our community members, below are suggested links to informative websites for you to read.

We welcome your feedback.

Australian/State Government websites

• Australian Youth Forum
• Australia Government Office for Youth
• Indigenous Young People in Australia
• Australian Human Rights Commission

Other Australian Health and Wellbeing websites

• General Health and wellbeing fact sheets
  • Better Health Channel
  • HealthInsite
• Information on nutrition plus healthy recipes including ingredient calculator
  • Nutrition facts and information
• Depression and Anxiety information
• Young people's mental health and illness
• Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) young people
• Drug and alcohol use and young people
  • Australian Drug Foundation
  • Drug information for parents
  • National Drug & Alcohol Research Centre
• Quitline smoking information and quitters help
• Children of parents with a mental illness
• Sexual and reproductive health information
• Sport involving migrant and refugee young people [PDF]
• Trends in juvenile detention in Australia 2011

Other great websites to tell young people about

• Crisis support and find help in your area
• Phone support for young people
• Commonly asked questions about sexual health
• Young people's stories about mental health
• Support for same sex attracted young people

All websites have been reviewed and are recommended by several reputable Australian organisations. These websites and their resources are regularly utilised and referred to by the youth and community sectors. The issues and information covered in these websites represent the identified needs and issues relevant to young people and those who work with and care for young people across Australia.

For the latest reports about our young people visit

• The National Strategy for Young Australians 2010
• State of Australia's Young People Report
• Mission Australia's latest report on young people

Sydney Leadership Program

The founders of Midnight Basketball Australia share a connection which provided the impetus for Midnight Basketball to take off in 2006:

The Benevolent Society's Sydney Leadership Program. Established in 1999, Sydney Leadership has produced a dynamic network of motivated individuals – an Alumni of the best and brightest from business, government and not for profits who share the view that it is possible to work together to build a stronger, more inclusive and just society.

View Social Leadership Australia and Midnight Basketball Youtube video

In 2009, the inaugural Queensland Leadership program will join Social Leadership Australia's suite of innovative leadership development programs. Anyone can make social change – visit www.bensoc.org.au