Bringing footy and STEM together for an action-packed learning experience < Back GOAL! Kangaroos Kicks Off at Werribee Primary School Jasper Menor 21 Feb 2025 Bringing footy and STEM together for an action-packed learning experience The Huddle’s latest GOAL! Kangaroos lessons officially launched on Monday, February 10, during Community Camp at Werribee Primary School. These FREE , footy-themed STEM lessons , aligned with the Victorian Curriculum , bring learning to life in a way that’s both engaging and educational. What is GOAL! Kangaroos? Designed for year levels 3-5 , GOAL! Kangaroos blends football, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to make learning dynamic and interactive. These lessons are: Free for educators Aligned with the Victorian Curriculum Hands-on and engaging , perfect for active learners and footy fans. Students put their goal-kicking accuracy to the test, simulating shots from nine different angles to analyse the best position for scoring a sausage roll (a goal). The activity combines practical STEM principles with the excitement of footy, creating an unforgettable learning experience. Adding to the fun, North Melbourne Kangaroos players joined in, sharing tips and encouraging students as they kicked goals both in the classroom and on the field. Why Schools Love GOAL! Kangaroos Teachers and students alike have embraced these lessons because they: Make STEM exciting through real-life applications Encourage teamwork and problem-solving Get students active while learning key skills Bring GOAL! Kangaroos to Your School Want to bring these footy-inspired STEM program to your school? Click HERE and get access to 6 brand new footy themed lessons to get your students in the game today! Plus they're completely FREE! Previous Next

How The Huddle and its participants foster collaborative partnerships < Back Changing the game for young people Maddy Ware and John King 24 Nov 2022 How The Huddle and its participants foster collaborative partnerships Due to the pandemic, young people from diverse backgrounds continued to be affected by the structures of the labour market. The “Meet Me in The Middle” report (2020) identified that due to COVID-19, the gap between young people and employers worsened and barriers to employment were exacerbated. The report identified issues such as lack of interpersonal skills, limited access to transport, limited understanding of complex recruitment methods and lack of experience, exacerbated due to the hard lockdowns. Young people aged 15 –24 entering the job market, with little or no work experience, are most vulnerable. Without timely and targeted intervention, young adults looking to access the workforce are at a high risk of missing out on a secure entry into the labour market and, therefore, more likely to experience long-term unemployment, underemployment, and financial hardship. The ongoing economic implications of the pandemic for Australia's youth population are significant. However, these implications will be more acute for many young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds. This is due to the intersection of age, the life stage of adolescence, young people's family support role and pre-existing structural barriers to accessing employment (CMY and MYAN, 2020, COVID-19 submission ). The objective of Game Changers, a City of Melbourne Social Partnerships Grant funded initiative, is to provide resume-worthy experiences that will encourage young people to think about their careers and futures. Game Changers develops the employability skills of young people while also encouraging participants to become more aware of self and others. The program bridges the gap between what skills applicants think are necessary for employment and what employers actually want. Through a unique structure of personal and professional development workshops, project development, pitching for funding and project execution, Game Changers provides real-world opportunities to develop the project management and transferable skills of young people from diverse backgrounds, through a collaborative approach and utilising the unique skills of several value-aligned community organisations. The Social Partnerships Grant funding allowed The Huddle to partner with, Young Australian People, Ubuntu Project and YLab to deliver Game Changers twice over a two-year span to two sperate groups of City of Melbourne residents. Based on the success of the program, The Huddle hopes to utilise this model for future employment programs. Game Changers supported young people from diverse backgrounds by providing a well-rounded and collaborative approach to developing transferable skills. Utilising the mentoring abilities and support from Young Australian People and Ubuntu Project, Game Changers kept participants accountable for their attendance in the program, organised transport to and from workshops and encouraged active engagement and opportunities for participants to provide insights into their own lived experiences. Game Changers also utilised the creative abilities of YLab which assisted participants to think about complex ideas and issues such as racism, access to education, cultural expectations and how they can support other young people in their community to move through these experiences while still gaining necessary skills and knowledge. Within the creation and ideation phase delivered by YLab, participants reflected on their own experiences and connected that to what other young people in community need. Participants were then split into groups and encouraged to create a Community Action Project, framed within an issue close to their heart, which met a community need. Game Changers was delivered to two separate groups from the City of Melbourne over a two-year funding cycle. Across both iterations of the program, there were seven Community Action Projects created. The groups had to pitch their ideas in front of a panel of experts to win funding for their projects. In the lead up to the Pitch Event, participants practiced putting together a presentation and presenting in front of a group. This stage of the project saw participants develop their confidence and public speaking abilities as they presented formal pitches in hopes of gaining funding. The development from the workshop stage to the pitch stage included creating and presenting a pitch, organising each group member, and assigning roles and tasks, collecting data and information relevant to their community action project and using their research to help justify the need for their project within the community. Groups also had to provide accurate budget estimates for the cost of their proposed projects and activities. Ubuntu Project is proud of the successes of Game Changers and our delivery of the cultural and vision mapping components. The Pitch Event was a fitting showcase of participants growth in confidence, ambition and knowledge in concept development and presentation. - Nor Shanino, CEO of Ubuntu Project Over the two years of program delivery, The Huddle supported groups to implement their community project, either into existing programs, such as Huddle Holidays, with events being conducted by partner organisations, or as stand-alone community projects. Casual employment with The Huddle was also provided for group members, whose projects were delivered within Huddle Holidays. These approaches allowed participants to experience genuine real-world opportunities to deliver their projects and develop their project management skills and experience. Many of the participants from Game Changers were able to either gain additional casual work from The Huddle, or use the experience to gain employment with other organisations. Game Changers also saw several Year 12 students utilise the experience for university applications, highlighting that the program helped them develop skillsets which could be applied to their chosen field of study. I wanted to say thanks for letting me join the Game Changers program. I found it really beneficial since not only did it allow me to meet new people, but also helped me form networks where I could ask for volunteering opportunities and potentially work. Through the workshops I was able to learn more about the transferable skills that I could use when applying for jobs - whether it’d be answering questions at a job interview or pitching a new business/community project idea. I’d highly recommend this program to anyone who’s looking to develop career goals or need guidance at securing a job. - Rea Tinoy, program participant The Huddle hopes to implement the Game Changers model into regular career programming due to the significant positive impacts it has had on young people and their employment prospects. The skills developed throughout Game Changers are setting young people up for their future careers, as evidenced by the employment and education outcomes of the program over the last two years. Previous Next

< Back 'Laz' rises to claim Peter Scanlon Community Award The efforts of midfielder Charlie Lazzaro have been recognised with the Peter Scanlon Community Award for 2022 Samantha Weston Previous Next

< Back HIStory Camp debuts Ten male participants took a leap and climbed high in the first ever HIStory Camp Riley Goodwin Previous Next

< Back The Grange P-12 students visit The Huddle: A day of sports and learning An exciting day of sports and learning! Joshua Raymer Previous Next

< Back Spring Huddle Holidays 2024 Recap! Spring has sprung with an action-packed holiday program! Huddle Holidays did not disappoint! Patrick McPhee Previous Next

In collaboration with cohealth, The Huddle ran a pop-up vaccination hub at North Melbourne Recreation Centre for the local community, campaigned by young people.This hub was supported by the City of Melbourne and the Victorian Department of Health. < Back North Melbourne Pop-up Vaccination Hub Previous Next

Youthworx capturing the Paving The Way Forward program at NMCC < Back Paving The Way Forward Previous Next

Join Libby and Ted for a read aloud of her book, Libby's Footy Adventures. < Back Libby's Footy Adventures Read Aloud Previous Next

< Back More Than A Game: NFL X STEM at Arden St Hitting the field for NFL Flag drills and interactive STEM challenges. Previous Next

A Journey of Personal Growth and Community Connection < Back The Huddle's Annual Iftar: A Time of Reflection and Unity Asli Abdullahi 1 Apr 2025 A Journey of Personal Growth and Community Connection The Huddle held its annual Iftar event for 2025 on 13th March, aiming to create a space for reflection, renewal, and community connection. Held in North Melbourne, it brought together 180 members of our community including families and community leaders, government and other key partners of The Huddle, and North Melbourne Football Club players. The event featured local poet Idil Ali as the MC, guiding attendees through moments of spiritual reflection and self-renewal. Many Muslims face the challenge of mentally and spiritually preparing for Ramadan, seeking to purify their hearts and eliminate distractions before the month begins. This process of self-reflection can be overwhelming, as it requires deep commitment and awareness. The Iftar event addressed this challenge by offering a structured environment for reflection. Throughout the event, participants engaged in reflection moments led by community leaders, focusing on their journeys, progress, and renewing their commitments. The presence of diverse figures, including MP Natalie Suleyman, Ellen Green, Sheikh Isse and football players Will Phillips, Libby Birch, and Brynn Teakle, strengthened the sense of community. The impact was evident in the feedback: 90% of attendees felt more connected to their community, and 85% reported that the event helped them reflect on personal goals. Many participants shared that the Iftar wasn’t just about the meal, but about the meaningful conversations and reflections shared. One participant noted, “The Iftar event helped me reconnect with myself and others. It gave me the space I needed to reflect on my journey and embrace the renewal that Ramadan brings.” In addition to the Iftar, The Huddle’s kids' activities were also a success, with one child stating, "This is the best activity ever." The event proved to be a powerful opportunity for spiritual and personal renewal, reinforcing the community’s sense of belonging. The Huddle is already planning next year’s Iftar, aiming to create an even more inclusive and impactful experience. The team is committed to enhancing the event to foster deeper reflection, connection, and growth for a larger, more diverse group of attendees. Previous Next

Fun and innovative sports-themed Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics lessons, aligned with the Victorian & Australian Curriculum, and NSW Syllabus. Fun and innovative sports-themed Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics lessons, aligned with the Victorian & Australian Curriculum, and NSW Syllabus. 20241111_GOAL_Ascot Vale West PS-3.jpg 20241111_GOAL_Ascot Vale West PS-6.jpg 20241111_GOAL_Ascot Vale West PS-23.jpg 20241111_GOAL_Ascot Vale West PS-3.jpg 1/5 GOAL! is a series of sport-themed STEM lessons designed by teachers for teachers. There are two GOAL! series including six AFL inspired STEM lessons for students working at Levels 3-5 and six Motorport themed lessons are for students working at Levels 5-8. Each lesson is aligned to the Victorian Curriculum and the Motorsport version is also linked to the Australian Curriculum and the NSW Syllabus and includes easily downloadable student and teacher resources, with each using a different football or Motorsport element. Each lesson also includes a video to engage and excite students using athletes from the North Melbourne Football Club and Motorsport Australia. FIND OUT MORE It was high student engagement - peers communicating, using mathematical language, comparing, reasoning, measuring, justifying, analysing… Jane - Learning Specialist, Eagle Point Primary School Previous Next