Basketball For Good facilitator workshop accelerates social impact across Oceania

The second Basketball For Good Facilitator Workshop brought together 21 community leaders from 11 Oceania National Federations to strengthen their capacity to deliver impactful basketball initiatives to drive social change in their communities.

Building on the success of the inaugural edition, the workshop offered participants an immersive week of learning centered on the FIBA Foundation's Basketball For Good methodology and Playbook.

Participating national federations

• Cook Islands
• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Micronesia
• New Caledonia
• New Zealand
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Vanuatu

Through a combination of classroom sessions, practical on-court activities, and peer exchange, the facilitators strengthened their understanding of program design, facilitation techniques, safeguarding principles, and the use of basketball as a tool for education and social development.

New Zealand is proud to support FIBA's Basketball For Good Facilitators Program through the Pacific Sport for Development Fund, helping to strengthen the skills and leadership of those who are making a difference in their communities - Greg Andrews, New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji

The program explored key themes from the Basketball For Good Playbook, including health and well-being, drug awareness, and gender equality. Participants also took part in sessions focused on building and sustaining Basketball For Good movements within their communities, while developing the confidence and skills required to lead impactful initiatives of their own.

We see the facilitators as the multipliers of the Basketball For Good movement,” said FIBA Executive Director - Oceania, Amanda Jenkins. “This workshop helped future program leaders design sustainable programs that will help grow the sport while tackling social challenges relevant to their nations."

Following dedicated planning and preparation sessions, participants designed and delivered a Basketball For Good Jamboree for young people in Fiji. Spread across multiple days, the jamboree allowed facilitators to put theory into practice, leading educational and basketball activities rooted in the social impact themes explored during the workshop.

The practical component extended beyond the jamboree through the Vodafone Fiji Secondary Schools National Championships. Throughout the competition, facilitators supported event delivery in a variety of operational roles, contributing to the smooth running of the tournament, including the Championship finals.

This was complemented by the bench official and referee training delivered during the workshop, which enabled participants to apply their newly developed skills as referees and bench officials throughout the Championships.

In addition to developing technical knowledge and facilitation skills, the workshop fostered meaningful connections among participants from across the region, helping grow a community of Basketball For Good leaders committed to creating positive change through sport.

This workshop really opened my eyes,” said Penisi Vaiaoga from Samoa. “It taught me how to run Basketball For Good programs, so I’m really looking forward to going back to Samoa and implementing them within my community.”

The Basketball For Good Facilitator Workshop is part of an expanding multi‑year partnership between FIBA in Oceania and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT), strengthening shared commitments, to empower National Federations and underpin Youth Development opportunities.

By combining learning with practical application, the program ensures participants leave not only with new knowledge, but also with real-world experience and the confidence to create sustainable impact in their own communities.

About FIBA Foundation

The FIBA Foundation is the social and legacy arm of FIBA that addresses the role of sports and particularly basketball in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.

The FIBA Foundation believes that basketball has the power to empower, educate, and inspire youth and facilitates this by implementing Basketball For Good projects around the world.

About MFAT

The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, through its long-standing International Development Cooperation (IDC) programme, delivers funding, knowledge, and skills to advance sustainable development and reduce poverty in developing countries, with a strong focus on the Pacific.