Recreation programs to Tackle Anti-Social Behaviour

The Western Australian Government is to make sport and recreation programs an important feature of plans to tackle anti-social behaviour in the inner-city suburb of Northbridge.
With young children roaming the streets late at night unaccompanied by responsible adults identified as one of Northbridge's problems, the Western Australian Department of Sport and Recreation (DSR) is to work together with other government and non-government agencies to provide alternative activities for children on Friday and Saturday nights.
As WA Sport and Recreation Minister Terry Waldron explained âmany of the kids that visit Northbridge at night on the weekend are only 12 and 13 ... it is an adult precinct and they simply should not be there unaccompanied.
âLet me be clear that providing a sport and recreation program on Friday and Saturday night will not solve all the social problems behind this problem, but we will be providing fun, safe and healthy alternatives.
âSport can be a really effective method of engaging young people and, once engaged, they can be provided with other learning opportunities.
âGreat examples of this are the Midnight Basketball tournaments that have been running in Geraldton and Midland, and in the near future, Kwinana.
âAt these tournaments the kids are attracted by the fun of basketball, but part of the deal is that they also attend a variety of seminars where they learn important life skills.
âInitially we will be piloting projects in Midland and Armadale because police and Mission Australia statistics tell us these areas are where many of the kids we are targeting come from.�?
DSR has already held meetings with community representatives in Midland and Armadale to assess what activities and resources already exist.
âIt is important that the community drives these projects because they understand what will attract the children and, in the long run, it will be community support that will make this sustainable.
âWe will be investing in each area to support activities on Friday and Saturday nights, and this investment will be allocated in consultation with the community.�?
To support this initiative DSR is also working on related projects to:
*Link youth at risk and their families with local sport clubs. This may include a one-on-one mentoring program
*Use DSR recreation camps to provide camps-based program opportunities with integrated recreational activities and leadership and life skills training
*Collaborate with Juvenile Justice teams to offer sport and recreation volunteer activities such as officiating and administration as alternatives to current community service activities such as cleaning graffiti.
Minister Waldron concluded "these are great examples of how sport and recreation can help build stronger, healthier, happier and safer communities."