LayUp Youth Basketball aims to reach 3,500 young people by 2030 across Toronto neighborhoods

LayUp Youth Basketball has been showing that the sport can be far more than a game. Since 2013, the organization has served over 1,000 youth in Toronto's neighborhood improvement areas with no cost, using basketball as a powerful tool to help young people build healthier lives, strengthen their education, and create pathways to meaningful employment.

Today, the organization is working toward an ambitious goal: positively impacting 3,500 young people by 2030. What makes LayUp different is that basketball is only the starting point. Every practice, game, and conversation becomes an opportunity to build trust, develop leadership, and create lasting relationships that extend far beyond the court.

One of the clearest examples of this impact is Coach Prince Dankyi's story. Like many participants, Prince first came to LayUp as a young athlete looking for a place to play. Over time, he developed not only as a basketball player but as a leader. "I grew up in Jane and Finch. There's a lot of systemic barriers such as gang violence, drug abuse, lack of positive role models, and lack of quality programming," Dankyi explained. "But LayUp gave me opportunities to feel seen, supported, and heard. And they kept me off the streets. I was able to have a long, supported career in playing basketball and when I was done my career, I was able to come back and give back to my community."

LayUp's work is built around three interconnected pillars. Health and Wellbeing programs help young people improve their physical health while building resilience, confidence, positive relationships, and mental wellbeing. Through the Education pillar, LayUp uses basketball as a lens for learning, connecting academic concepts to something young people are passionate about. The Employment pillar, through the Crossover program, helps participants gain practical skills that prepare them for the workforce.