b'Coach Omar Coles, right,instructing participants.I was asking myself: how can I recreate that, and createThats Omars superpower: meeting his charges on their a community that feels empowered? Then I moved toterms, instead of his. Melbourne in 2011, found out about Helping Hoops, madeI found that the thing for me was how to step into these a few phone calls, started in 2012 and here we are, childrens world and see the world from their brain, he in 2024. explained. The way I can lead is not by telling you to step Teuila and Omar talk about the need for regulations andinto my world and do what I do. Instead, how do I step into boundaries, so that the neurodiverse youth on the courtyour world and see the beauties that you have and teach can thrive within the accepted parameters of behaviour.you to push that out? Helping Hoops gives them confidence, Omar said.I have a participant here, when he first came, he would Basketball is the vehicle that we use to teach kidsnot come near me. He would clap his hands, and he would teamwork, responsibility. Everybodys going to grow upstay away from me, Omar said. Now its, like, he gives me and everybody has to be a part of a teamwhether ahigh-fives, gives me hugs, and it was just a matter of when team called Life, or maybe Family. So, what part do theyhe warmed up to me. want to play in that?I accepted him, but I had to give him time to accept me, We start them off early and along the way we buildand that can come from his background. I mean, I spend community. People have a place to come, whether theyone hour a week with these kids. I dont know what goes want to be basketball stars or whether they want to playon in their house. I dont know what goes on in their daily in the orchestra or be a swim champion. They have alife, but I like to be that one little spark in their life that place to come to feel safe and be who they are. they look forward to.For the coach, it doesnt matter if hes coaching kidsNewsboys Foundation support for the all-abilities from housing commission communities across Helpingprogram means a diverse group of young people get to Hoops 14 locations, or these kids of all abilities atpush beyond what they thought was possible, on court the Newsboys-powered session in Broadmeadows, hisand beyond. Teuila, Omar and Helping Hoops volunteer ambition is the same.coaches are there, every step of the way. Everyone is enriched with some type of a value and itsWere all human, Omar said. It is just we see things from like the opposite of the world we live in, he said. Insteaddifferent perspectives, and we have different physical of looking out there for the magic, its teaching them toabilities that allow us to go, to do, to perform in specific take the magic from within and bring it out and share itways. I love watching the kids grow.with the world. Nick PlaceNEWSBOYS FOUNDATION ANNUAL REPORT 20249'