Guardian Ballers started as an exciting grassroots sport and mental health project in 2021 with a simple aim: to reach 200 young people. Today, the organisation has grown into something much bigger, working with over 2,000 young people annually across the West Midlands and beyond. It supports young people in developing a wide variety of life skills through basketball sessions, including mental health education, identity empowerment and leadership journeys.
For many young people attending Guardian Ballers sessions, it’s not just about shooting hoops — it’s about finding belonging, support, and purpose.
More Than Just Basketball
Guardian Ballers works with a wide range of children and young people across the West Midlands, predominantly aged 10–25. It creates safe spaces for young people to be empowered to greater mental and emotional wellbeing through Basketball and developed socially through community volunteering experiences.
The organisation’s work spans both on and off the court, delivering a wide range of sessions and activities, including:
- Wellbeing interventions in schools
- Alternative provision and mental health support at their Coventry HQ
- Leadership pathways for young people aged 15+
- Community sessions and holiday camps
Each week, between 20 and 30 young people access their alternative education provision or targeted mental health support at Guardian Ballers HQ. Many of these young people may have struggled with engagement and attainment in a conventional school setting. Guardian Ballers offers them a lifeline, alongside enrichment activities that help them progress, take part in further programmes, volunteer, and move into work experience.
Thousands more children engage through school delivery (Wellbeing Interventions, PE lessons, experience trips and topic-specific talks) and community delivery (including HAF camps and community hubs). These funded sessions support children and young people who may otherwise be unable to access such opportunities.
From Participant to Leader
One of the strongest examples of impact is seeing young people come full circle — initially engaging in grassroots projects, then volunteering, and eventually moving into employment through the programme.
A standout story is that of Helena, who joined Guardian Ballers as a participant in an after-school club. Over the years, she progressed through community programmes, accessed funded development opportunities, represented the organisation in 3×3 basketball at the ‘International Children’s Games’, and is now an intern delivering sessions back at her former school.
That journey — from being supported to supporting others — sits at the core of what Guardian Ballers is building.
It’s not just about engagement. It’s about developing leaders who reflect the communities they come from.
Growing Impact, Building Sustainability
In just five years, Guardian Ballers has grown from one part-time founder and a small volunteer team to nine staff and 26 volunteers. Annual turnover has increased significantly, with 2026 set to be their biggest year of delivery yet.
Founder Kieran Joseph is clear on one key lesson:
“Income enables impact.”
For community organisations, sustainable funding isn’t just about growth — it’s about maintaining quality, supporting staff wellbeing, and ensuring young people can rely on services long term.
Guardian Ballers is now joining a wider mental health collaborative across Warwickshire and continues to expand its work, recently forming a new partnership with Basketball Wales to help reach more ethnically diverse communities and to begin embedding mental health within basketball communities in Wales.
What This Means for the Sector
Guardian Ballers shows what’s possible when sport is used intentionally.
For grassroots clubs, governing bodies, and system partners, there are clear takeaways:
- Basketball can be a powerful entry point into and magnet towards mental health support.
- Young people respond to safe, culturally aware spaces.
- Leadership pathways matter — especially for those who may not see themselves represented elsewhere.
- Sustainable structures are key to long-term impact.
Most importantly, this is about community. It’s about meeting young people where they are and walking alongside them.
Guardian Ballers isn’t just delivering sessions. It’s building confidence, shaping futures, and proving that when done right, basketball really can change lives — both on and off the court.
To find out more about the incredible work of Guardian Ballers, visit:
https://guardianballers.org/
