Ellen Thomas, Principal Research Investigator and Social Work Lecturer at Charles Darwin University, shares her findings with National Indigenous Times.
"I just feel like if everybody learnt about the brain—even just the really simple basic concepts—we'd be a much more empathetic society. Instead of thinking, 'that kid's a bad kid', we'd ask, 'what supports does that young person need?' They're not bad kids. They've just had bad things happen." — Research participant
Current Government Approach
In the Northern Territory, Aboriginal young people continue to be severely overrepresented in the youth justice system—making up 63 per cent of all detainees, despite accounting for just 30 per cent of the total youth population. This disproportion is not simply the result of individual choices. It is deeply rooted in intergenerational trauma, disconnection from culture, and the systemic failures of institutions that were designed to support but have instead punished.
For too long, the dominant response to youth offending has been punitive: lock them up and keep them away. But this approach has failed. It neither addresses the underlying causes of offending nor provides a pathway out. What's needed now is not more detention beds, but community-led, culturally grounded solutions that centre connection, identity, and healing.
Our Research Approach – Community-Led, Culturally Grounded
Since August last year, the Department of Social Work at Charles Darwin University has been working in close partnership with Hoops 4 Health to explore and evaluate its impact. Together, we've co-designed an Aboriginal-led research approach grounded in Gnama—a methodology that integrates Balanda (Western) and Aboriginal knowledge systems, guided by cultural integrity, community wisdom, and deep listening.
This research includes 13 in-depth interviews with key community interest holders, with 10 more underway. It has been designed not just to evaluate outcomes, but to centre the lived experiences and voices of Top End locals – young people, families, staff, and services connected to Hoops 4 Health programs.
All direct quotes throughout this article are drawn from emerging research findings. They reflect the real voices of community members who are witnessing and driving change firsthand.
Prevention on the Outside – Academy and Training Centre Programs
The work of Hoops 4 Health begins long before a young person comes into contact with the justice system. In Karama and Wagaman (Darwin's northern suburbs), the Hoops 4 Health Academy has been supporting Aboriginal young people aged 10–16 for over five years. These programs focus on early intervention in both school and community settings, offering safe, culturally connected spaces where young people can develop leadership, identity, and resilience through sport, coaching, and cultural engagement.
This is where prevention takes root—on basketball courts that double as classrooms for life skills, trust, and belonging. The Academy doesn't just keep young people engaged—it helps them feel valued and seen, reducing the risk of later justice involvement.
"They build those strong relationships because they're not just... touching these people once—they're coming back again and again and again and constantly showing up." — Research participant
Intervention on the Inside – Don Dale, Holtze and Leave of Absence
Inside detention, Hoops 4 Health is leading a quiet but powerful transformation. For over 10 years, the program has delivered consistent, trauma healing sport inside both the notorious Don Dale and Holtze Youth Detention Centres. Staffed and led by Aboriginal people, the program integrates First Nations knowledge systems with contemporary youth development strategies backed by neuroscience on trauma, brain development, and relational healing.
"They're actually able to help them understand what happened to them, rather than what's wrong with them." — Research participant
"They're actually teaching them around why sometimes they might feel dysregulated—and then what they can do about it." — Research participant
In the past two years, young people from detention have been able to participate in a Leave of Absence Program at the Hoops 4 Health Training Centre in Pinelands, an outer northern suburb of Palmerston situated on the Country and waterways of the Larrakia people. This innovative model serves as a bridge between detention and community reintegration, giving young people a chance to experience support and opportunity outside the wire.
"There's been moments where there's been fights going to happen... and the young people reflecting back to him [Hoops 4 Health coach] that 'I was really getting amped up and I thought, I'm going to fight this person. And then I remembered what I had to do. So, I went off and I did, you know, 15 push ups and some star jumps. And I started to feel regulated again.'" — Research participant
"They kind of start shifting their thinking around. Like I said, what's wrong with them? To more around... wow, what happened to me? They move from blaming themselves for their past actions to going, well, maybe it has a little bit to do with this." — Research participant
These moments of self-regulation and shifted thinking reflect the deeper impact of the program—where behaviour change is rooted in understanding, not punishment.
On Arrernte Country in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), the sister initiative Hoops 4 Wealth—a financial literacy program—has been running for three years in the Alice Springs Correctional Centre, already achieving notable outcomes for incarcerated mob: one full-time transition into Hoops 4 Health employment and the mentoring of two apprentice champion coaches currently in detention.
The core of this work is about connection—using the rhythm of basketball, the power of mentorship, and the safety of cultural identity to help young people heal from trauma and rebuild trust. For many participants, it's the first time they've experienced genuine emotional support and a sense of belonging behind bars.
"When people really start to understand that the brain is designed to act first—because it has to keep us safe—and then feel, and lastly think... they start to realise their reactions might have been disproportionate, but perhaps they were shaped by past experiences. And from that point, you can work backwards to figure out how to stop having those big reactions." — Research participant
This deeper understanding of trauma and brain function is not just theoretical—it translates directly into how young people are supported on the ground in detention:
"They [Hoops 4 Health coaches] would put lots of time into this one kid and then they would tell all the other kids about how great this other kid was... identifying that this kid is struggling because of all of his special needs and rather than excluding him and giving him special treatment." — Research participant
By the end of the program, that young person—once teased and isolated—was celebrated by the group:
"And then by the end... this kid who used to get teased and tormented and excluded was like the most popular person in the whole group... when he was able to do things like shoot five goals in a row or catch a ball from the other end of the court, everyone would cheer and carry on like he'd won the lottery."
"And that really built his self-esteem." — Research participant
These moments reflect the cultural shift the program is creating inside detention. The basketball court becomes a space of respect, inclusion, and joy. Here, young people build not just skills, but self-worth, strong relationships, and a renewed sense of identity—while beginning to heal from the trauma that brought them into detention in the first place.
Postvention – Coaching and Mentorship Employment Pathways
While transformation begins inside, it must be sustained on the outside. One of the most urgent findings emerging from our research is the need for employment pathways where lived experience and Black excellence can be draw on as legitimate knowledge for social change. Young people leaving detention face unstable housing, limited opportunities, and little structured support. Freedom does not equal stability. Without meaningful work and mentorship, the risk of reoffending remains high.
"They [Hoops 4 Health] took on one of our young people... where this young person would leave Don Dale and go and assist them in running workshops, clinics, and community. The plan was for when he left detention that he would actually step into paid employment with Hoops as a pathway.
"It didn't come to fruition because the stakeholder who was willing to provide support for that opportunity didn't meet the necessary conditions. He's now in adult custody." — Research participant
This is not an isolated case. It is emblematic of a systemic gap—where promising futures are derailed by the lack of infrastructure and investment. As another community member said:
"And we all know that. The key protective factors for keeping people out of custody are a stable home, regular money coming in, and a healthy lifestyle." — Research participant
Hoops 4 Health recognises this truth and is working to close the gap. Employment is not just about income—it's about structure, identity, and long-term prevention. The program aims to mentor participants into coaching roles and paid opportunities, reinforcing the same values they developed inside. But financial and structural constraints limit what's possible.
If governments and policymakers are serious about Closing the Gap, they must move beyond punitive responses and commit to funding culturally safe employment pathways for young people.
Current Innovation – Youth Voice Through Picture Voice
As research enters its second phase, young people's voices will take centre stage through Picture Voice—an Aboriginal adaptation of photovoice developed by Hoops 4 Health. This innovative approach uses culturally relevant imagery, guided reflection, local language such as "deadly" (good) and "gammon" (not good), yarning circles, and Dadirri (deep listening) to empower youth to share their own stories of transformation.
This is evaluation through empowerment—not imposed, but co-created. Through Picture Voice, young people are not just participants; they become documentarians of their own healing journeys, and advocates—not just to shape policy, but to transform institutions.
Conclusion
Hoops 4 Health is modelling a new way forward for youth justice in the Northern Territory—not through punishment, but through connection, culture, and self-determination. It's more than a program; it's a movement that is building futures, not just managing behaviour. Our research shows it is driving a cultural shift inside detention—transforming isolation into leadership and hopelessness into healing. The young people it supports aren't just surviving—they're ready to thrive. But without sustained investment, this proven model cannot reach its full potential.
With a newly re-elected federal Labor Government and Prime Minister Albanese reaffirming his commitment to Closing the Gap, the question now is: what will he do? Will this be the term where we see words turn into action—where governments choose to fund futures, not failure?
And at the Territory level, will Darwin's Chief Minister continue with a punitive, lock-them-up approach, or join the shift towards Aboriginal-led, community-driven solutions?
If we are serious about change, we must stop building more cells and start backing more coaches, more mentors, and more Aboriginal-led programs like Hoops 4 Health. What's needed now is a strong, sustained government commitment to support the futures these young people deserve.
