News release

June 04, 2024

Sun Life Singapore and Beyond Sport support coach development, youth physical and mental wellness in Singapore through the Hoops + Health programme.

Hoops + Health is a C$1 million programme that encompasses six Asia countries where Sun Life operates in to promote healthy lives for youth through basketball.

Singapore (4 June 2024) – Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada Singapore Branch (“Sun Life Singapore”), in collaboration with global sport for social change foundation, Beyond Sport, is leveraging basketball and education to foster healthier communities in Singapore.

Aiming to positively impact hundreds of youngsters this year, the collaboration facilitated targeted skill development training for basketball coaches and provided a community grant to fund a series of basketball training sessions with a focus on encouraging participation by girls. This initiative underscores Sun Life’s long-standing advocacy for healthy lifestyles and community well-being.

These efforts are part of a broader C$1 million regional Hoops + Health programme between Sun Life and Beyond Sport, to promote physical activity and wellness among underserved youth across Asia. Following community activities in Laguna (Philippines), Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Depok (Indonesia), the Singapore initiatives continued to leverage basketball’s popularity to advance community development. In March 2023, Canada Basketball and Sun Life entered into a multi-year sponsorship. This regional Hoops + Health initiative, coming off the back of the Canada Men team’s participation in the FIBA World Cup in Asia in 2023, aligns with Sun Life’s commitment to giving back to the community through basketball.

In March 2024, a group of local coaches took part in a workshop hosted by local programme partner, Heart of Basketball (HOB), which runs indoor and outdoor youth basketball sessions. Organised by regional coach education partner, ASA Foundation, the workshop equipped the participants with tools to promote the importance of exercise, healthy nutrition and basketball as a sport, to advance youth health and mental well-being.

The workshop was a resounding success with 91% of attendees feeling confident in their ability to immediately put the activities they learned into practice. Additionally, a group of coaches also each received a specialised Hoops + Health tool kit offering practical knowledge and activity ideas to supplement their work. HOB had also been conducting twice-weekly basketball sessions specifically targeting girls supported by the programme grant. Around 30 girls had taken part over the past three months.

“We are excited to be able to support youth physical and mental wellness in Singapore through our Hoops + Health programme in partnership with Sun Life” said Abby West, Senior Grants and Programmes Manager at Beyond Sport. “We are committed to helping more young people who may otherwise lack the opportunity, to access the benefits of basketball, and Heart of Basketball’s focus on empowering girls and young women aligns perfectly with this priority.”

On 31 May 2024, a lively 3x3 basketball tournament was held at the Kampong Ubi Community Centre to celebrate the progress of the girls participating in the Hoops + Health programme. The event was an opportunity for both players and coaches to showcase their growing skills. Girls from ten teams were cheered on by their families, Sun Life Singapore representatives and local community supporters.

Sun Life's support of the Hoops + Health programme is part of its broader community health advocacy in Singapore. One of Sun Life’s key philanthropy efforts in Singapore is its Philanthropic Pledge, through which Sun Life Singapore will donate 0.5% of premiums received from its SunBrilliance Indexed Universal Life (capped at US$20,000 per policy) to initiatives focused on health, in particular, Type 2 Diabetes prevention and care, mental health, as well as community initiatives driving diversity, equity and inclusion, and disaster relief.

Michael Wei, Chief Partnership & Marketing Officer, Sun Life Singapore said: “Our commitment to fostering holistic health and mental wellness within Singapore community aligns with Sun Life’s corporate purpose of helping our clients and communities achieve healthier lives. The Hoops + Health programme is a testament to our commitment and we aspire to continue our community building and philanthropic efforts to create a positive and long-lasting impact to Singapore community.”  

 

About Sun Life

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organisation providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of March 31, 2024, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.47 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com. For more information about Sun Life Singapore, please visit www.sunlife.com.sg

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.
 

About Beyond Sport
Beyond Sport invests in organisations, programmes and networks using sport to positively impact communities globally. Since 2008, the global foundation has provided over $9.5 million in grants to 384 initiatives across 75 countries in addition to in-depth capacity building support. Learn more about their partnership with Sun Life on the Hoops + Health programme across Asia.

 

 Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada is an insurance company federally incorporated in Canada, with OSFI Institution Code F380 and its registered office at 1 York Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J 0B6. It is regulated by Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, Canada. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada Singapore Branch (UEN T19FC0132B) is registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore as a foreign company, with its registered office at One Raffles Quay, #10-03 North Tower, Singapore 048583. It is licensed and regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Where Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada Singapore Branch is referred to as “Sun Life Singapore”, this is strictly for marketing and branding purposes only, and no legal significance is expressed or implied. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada is a member of the Sun Life group of companies. The Sun Life group of companies operates under the “Sun Life” name. Sun Life Financial Inc., the publicly traded holding company for the Sun Life group of companies, is not a product offering company and is not the guarantor of the obligations of its subsidiaries. 

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