Basketball Queensland (BQ) is excited to announce our new Indigenous Pathways Program, as reported by the Courier Mail, following the recent Department of Health announcement that we have been awarded $365,062 under the Driving Social Inclusion Through Sport and Physical Activity $19 million funding allocation.

The Basketball Queensland Indigenous Pathways Program (BQIPP) will deliver a range of socially inclusive sport and physical activity initiatives that will increase participation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Basketball throughout Queensland, particularly for those vulnerable and disadvantaged Indigenous persons living in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Under the proposal, targeted regions across the state will receive specialised BQ activities and services, strengthening the number of pathways for First Nations people to be involved within the sport. BQ will also create two new positions, an Indigenous Pathways Manager and Indigenous Pathways Officer, to deliver the program.

“Creating opportunities to increase basketball participation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people throughout Queensland is a key component of our Indigenous Engagement Strategy,” BQ Chief Executive Officer Graham Burns said.

“Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, we began preliminary work on this strategy by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Australian Indigenous Basketball (AIB) and also by providing support for the AIB National Tournament held in Cairns last December.”

“In addition to increasing the number and capability of active Indigenous players, coaches and referees in Queensland, under the BQIPP we will also establish a Reconciliation Action Plan advisory committee and work towards establishing our first ever Basketball Queensland RAP.”

“It’s important as a leading sports organisation in Queensland that we provide education and training to reduce racial discrimination and promote greater diversity within our sport and that’s also an objective of the BQIPP.”

“Another key objective of the BQIPP is to identify talented Indigenous players, coaches & referees and work on accelerating their potential to become elite, while also supporting those Indigenous players and coaches already selected and appointed to BQ High Performance Programs & State Teams,” Burns added.

Tyson Demos, current President of Australian Indigenous Basketball congratulated BQ for launching its new inclusive Indigenous initiative.

“It’s terrific to see Basketball Queensland continuing their focus on Indigenous engagement and putting a plan in place to achieve positive outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the state,” Demos said.

“The organisation is to be commended for being a national leader in this field and Australian Indigenous Basketball will continue to support BQ with their endeavours in this space.”

“Hopefully through the BQIPP we will see more Indigenous talent unearthed from remote Queensland communities and possibly the next Nathan Jawai on the big stage.”

We will begin to advertise for an Indigenous Pathways Manager and Indigenous Pathways Officer shortly.