Some of our city’s incarcerated youth are participating in a basketball tournament Thursday night at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center. An incarcerated teen explained to WDSU’s Shay O’Connor how there is a greater purpose serving teens off the court. “Basketball is good for mental health. If you don’t know how to deal with anxiety and depression, you can deal with it through basketball,” said the teenager. Young people played to win, but the prize is something more. The teenager said: “If you’re feeling frustrated, go out on the court. Score lots of points.” It’s the second basketball tournament of the year for a new initiative at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center. The aim of the games is to encourage conflict resolution skills and mental health advocacy at the center, which is home to around 70 of the city’s most violent young offenders. Dichelle Williams, executive director of the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center, said, “We’re just trying to do our part as a village to do our part and make them better before we go into their communities.” from New Orleans. Some of the partners include ARTivism, which encourages dance therapy for teens, along with the New Orleans Youth Coalition, helping young people deal with mental illness and trauma through basketball. Thursday’s game consists of two youth teams playing against each other. Then the team will play two teams against each other. The winners of the incarcerated youth play against the winners of the JJIC staff. The winners of the entire tournament receive trophies and dinner at the restaurant of their choice. One incarcerated young man said it changed the way he feels about himself and others. He told WDSU, “My mother was incarcerated. Humility comes with helping, respecting, and caring for others. Even if you don’t agree. That’s part of my humility.” Brideisha Harness-Parker with New Orleans Youth Coalition was one of the partners who presented ART, addressing, recognizing and combating trauma, grief and mental health through basketball and sports. The goal and other organizers, fewer repeat offenders. Harness-Parker said, “It’s about teaching them alternatives and hopefully reducing recidivism. A lot of these kids have been here more than once. It’s about letting them know there’s a future outside of here for all of you.” ” It won’t be open to the public, but organizers said there will be many more events like this to come. So stay tuned.
Some of our city’s incarcerated youth are participating in a basketball tournament Thursday night at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center.
An incarcerated teen explained to WDSU’s Shay O’Connor how there is a greater purpose serving teens off the court.
“Basketball is good for mental health. If you don’t know how to deal with anxiety and depression, you can deal with it through basketball,” said the teenager.
Young people played to win, but the prize is something more.
The teenager said: “If you’re feeling frustrated, go out on the court. Score lots of points.”
It’s the second basketball tournament of the year for a new initiative at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center.
The aim of the games is to encourage conflict resolution skills and mental health advocacy at the center, which is home to around 70 of the city’s most violent young offenders.
Dichelle Williams, executive director of the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center, said, “We’re just trying to do our part as a village to do our part and make them better before we go out into their communities.”
This event has been approved by the City of New Orleans. Some of the partners include ARTivism, which encourages dance therapy for teens, along with the New Orleans Youth Coalition, helping young people deal with mental illness and trauma through basketball.
Thursday’s game consists of two youth teams playing against each other. Then the team will play two teams against each other. The winners of the incarcerated youth play against the winners of the JJIC staff. The winners of the entire tournament receive trophies and dinner at the restaurant of their choice.
One incarcerated young man said it changed the way he feels about himself and others. He told WDSU, “My mother was incarcerated. Humility comes with helping and respecting and caring for others. Even if you don’t agree. That’s part of my humility.”
Brideisha Harness-Parker of the New Orleans Youth Coalition was one of the partners presenting ART, addressing, recognizing and combating trauma, grief and mental health through basketball and sports. The goal and other organizers, fewer repeat offenders.
Harness-Parker said, “It’s about teaching them alternatives and hopefully reducing recidivism. A lot of these kids have been here more than once. It’s about letting them know there’s a future outside of here for all of you.” “
The games will not be open to the public, but organizers said there will be many more events like this to come. So stay tuned.
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