The Junior Rhinos: A Co-Designed, Primary Prevention Approach for Young People at Risk of Entering the Justice System

This presentation reports on the impact of the Junior Rhinos Primary Prevention Basketball Program (Junior Rhinos). The Junior Rhinos is a sports-based youth development program aimed to prevent crime and (re)offending in African-Australian young people (5-14) in south-eastern Melbourne, by supporting young participants to connect with family, community and culture, and strengthen school engagement.

The Black Rhinos was co-designed with Afri-Aus Care community members living in Melbourne’s south-east and researchers from RMIT university. This project builds on a longstanding partnership between grassroots resettlement support service, Afri-Aus Care, and RMIT ‘s Social Work Field Education.    After the co-design of the program, the Junior Rhinos occurs in schools and the community. In schools, African-Australian mentors assist students to develop a greater sense of belonging within the school environment, while providing important guidance, representation and support. In the community, the Junior Rhinos is offered on weekends to African-Australian families, providing sport, food and tuition to the students, and opportunities for social connection to parents.  

By drawing on the Indigenous African philosophy of Ubuntu roughly translated as ‘I am because you/we are’ (Chigangaidze, 2021), this presentation will describe the co-design process and report its impacts which include enhanced social connection between young people and families, life and leadership skills development, increased confidence, enhanced relationships between teachers, students and their families through strengthened recognition, sense of belonging and reciprocity and opportunities to live and enact African cultural values.  This presentation will highlight the importance of culturally responsive community and social work partnerships and advocacy utilising sports-based youth development programs.

Speakers: RMIT & Afri-Aus Care

Dr Sarah Williams

Lecturer, Social Work & Human Services, RMIT University

Dr Sarah Williams is a Lecturer in Social Work and Human Services at RMIT University. Sarah’s research focuses on action research with young people and culturally diverse communities. 

Dr Rachel Goff

Lecturer, Social Work & Human Services RMIT University

Dr Rachel Goff is a Lecturer in the Social Work and Human Services cluster at RMIT University. Rachel’s research is situated within social work, social sciences and design. Rachel’s research interests focus on community participation, and enhancing health and wellbeing in families and communities, including LGBTQIA+ and culturally diverse communities. Rachel also researches the application of design thinking in social work related fields to evoke creativity, community ownership, and to co-create conditions for more socially just outcomes for communities.

Selba-Gondoza Luka

CEO & Founder of Afri-Aus Care

Selba-Gondoza Luka is a Mental Health Clinician, public speaker, family violence advocate and grassroot community leader. She is also the founder and CEO of Afri-Aus Care Inc, a not-for-profit organisation, which provides culturally appropriate support services to African Australians and those from other CALD backgrounds. She is also the Co-Founder of the successful Black Rhinos Basketball Club and Soccer Club, crime prevention and intervention programs for at-risk youth. She has extensive experience working with African Australian families who are facing resettlement challenges. She is a multiple award and has been awarded the City of Greater Dandenong Citizen of the Year 2021, Inductee into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2021, Victoria’s Multicultural Awards for Excellence 2019 (Meritorious Service to the Community), and most recently AMARI ICON Recipient 2024.

Abraham Kuol

Project Manager, Afri-Aus Care

Abraham is an Associate Research Fellow and PhD Candidate at the Alfred Deakin Institute at Deakin University; his research explores the post settlement challenges of African Australians with a focus on justice system contact. His research interest include youth violence, risk, and protective factors for offending, and culturally and linguistically diverse young people. Abraham possesses an undergraduate and honours degree in Project Management from RMIT University. He works as a Project Manager at Afri-Aus Care Inc. and has consulted for leading culture-based community organisations in the youth justice space. He is a Co-Founder of the Black Rhinos Soccer Club.

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