Hundreds of enthusiastic students enjoyed a day full of activities and learning how to maintain a healthy lifestyle at Mt Gambier’s National Indigenous 3on3® Basketball and Hip Hop Challenge on Thursday, 28 November.

Students from Mt Gambier and across the region participated in the Mt Gambier Vibe 3on3® at the Icehouse Basketball Stadium for a day of 3on3 basketball, rapping and break dancing lessons, art workshops, a dance competition and a health expo.

Special guest role models included Move it Mob Style® host Brothablack MC and dancers Shari Togo and Darren Compton, as well as rapper Jimblah and singer/songwriter Jess Beck, artist Allan Sumner, local health role model Jason Bonney and Health Expo role model Byron Sumner.

At the Opening Ceremony, the Welcome To Country was performed by Penny Bonney with a performance by The Fly Dance Group. Deputy Mayor, Councillor Byron Harfield represented the City of Mt Gambier and Superintendent Trevor Twilley from the Limestone Coast LSA also attended.

This was the first time the Vibe 3on3® visited Mt Gambier and Head of Events Mayrah Sonter said the one day event was well received by the community.

“Schools attended from Mt Gambier and surrounding regions, and the role model interaction was great. Byron Sumner was fantastic in the Chat With a Champion segment, a new addition to the 3on3 which teaches young people about keeping cool under pressure, better ways to manage conflict, and some good tools to help problem-solving,” she says.

“One of the biggest messages reinforced at the event, is the importance of staying away from drugs and alcohol.”

The community support received in the lead up to the event, and on the day, was very much appreciated, Mayrah says.

“We got incredible support from the community and I think they really enjoyed the 3on3. We got so many thank you’s and follow up emails as well, all inviting us back again next year,” she says.

The Breakoff Dance competition, a regular fixture of the event, attracted lots of participation from students, and teachers also joined in, Mayrah says.

The Health Expo at the Mount Gambier Vibe 3on3® was well attended by a cross section of youth and mental health related services, as well as physical health providers. Some of the mental health and youth services attending were: Pangula Mannamurna Inc, Mind Australia, Rubies Youth Crisis Accommodation, HYPA Limestone Coast, iCan, MISFA, CAMS, Uniting Communities AC Care and The Mount Gambier Police Youth Liaison.

“The expo was facilitated by local role model Jess Beck and was very interactive. The expo was set up with round tables and in a semi-circle, this helped to create a warm and non-clinical ambiance. Some of the activities that engaged the attendees were; mindfulness eating, colouring in sheets of bodily stress signals, dissemination of resources and information on how to access local youth and family services,” Mayrah says.

The Vibe 3on3® aims to promote healthy lifestyles, strengthen communities and boost self-esteem. The Vibe 3on3® is also an excellent opportunity for health services and related organisations to introduce themselves to the wider community. For more information go to www.vibe.com.au

Vibe would like to acknowledge the assistance of “Supporting Communities to Reduce the Risk of Suicide” component of the “Taking Action to Tackle Suicide” Program.

The Vibe 3on3® would not be possible without its Principal Sponsor the Department of Health as well as our sponsors – the Australian Government – Closing the Gap, Headspace and our supporters the Jimmy Little Foundation the National Rural Health Students Network, Koori Mail, Deadly Sounds, Deadly Vibe, Deadly Vibe Wire and vibe.com.au. For news, stories and information on Closing the Gap, visit indigenous.gov.au.

Vibe also thanks its local sponsors for their support: Collins Court Butcher and the City of Mt Gambier.

For all media enquiries please call Maryann Weston at Vibe Australia on (02) 4822 8230 or email [email protected]

Tags: Basketball, hiphop, Mt Gambier, Vibe 3on3