By Alesha Capone
Two young men have started a sport and mentoring initiative to bring young Wyndham people together.
James Kot, 20, and Hassan Nur Hussein, 19, began the Wyndham Sports Youth Leadership & Network in January.
Since then, more than 30 boys and men aged between 12 and 25 years old have joined up.
They play soccer, basketball and football three times a week at Presidents Park.
Mr Hussein said the group was “about engaging young people, the community, being friendly”.
“Some of the young boys who come here can’t speak English,” he said.
“Some of us who have been in Australia for a short time, we can share our experience with them and translate for them.
“It’s very diverse – we have Asian, Indian and South American players, as well as African.”
Mr Kot said that he and Mr Hussin were “very keen to volunteer with young people in Wyndham”.
Mr Kot is the chairperson of the Western Young People’s Independent Network (WYPIN), volunteers with the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation and is a member of the Wyndham Ambassadors of Multicultural Youth group.
Mr Hussein is the chair of that group, a member of Wyndham council’s Youth Council Committee and school captain at Wyndham Central College. The pair said that through their community involvement, they hoped to find a way to get WYSLN team uniforms and a ground to play at that has lighting after dark.
“With what we are doing, we are really looking for people in the community to support us,” Mr Kot said.
For more information, go to: www.facebook.com/WyndhamSYLN
