Toronto Tamil Basketball Association (TTBA): Am in Team

The initiative brought together 78 Tamil youth from across the city through a weekly basketball league. It encouraged teamwork and strong interaction amongst youth in the league regardless of the neighbourhood they live in or the school they attend.

When youth were off the field between games, guest speakers from social service agencies delivered seminars as part of the leadership and mentorship component of the program. Youth engaged in discussions about issues that stem from their homeland, helping them understand and navigate through intergenerational challenges and differences between youth born in Canada and their peers who have immigrated here with their families.

TTBA is the only basketball program in the city that runs a league geared specifically toward Tamil youth. It has provided an opportunity for youth to build strong friendships with people they would never have met otherwise. It increased access to experiential learning for youth and strengthened the capacity of the organization to engage youth who are vulnerable to the criminal justice system.