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Somali Healthcare Professionals (SHP) is a networking platform founded by three passionate young Somali women < Back Local Legends: Somali Healthcare Professionals Riley Goodwin 15 Dec 2021 Somali Healthcare Professionals (SHP) is a networking platform founded by three passionate young Somali women Somali Healthcare Professionals (SHP) is a networking platform founded by three passionate young Somali women in the Australian healthcare field. With the mission of creating a networking platform that connects current and future Somali healthcare professionals, the platform also raises awareness on public health issues within the Somali community. Lead by Najmo Said, a registered nurse, Fatumo Elmi, a 4th year nursing and midwifery student and Umal Kheyr, a registered midwife; Somali Healthcare Professionals showcases the diverse areas in the healthcare profession by sharing the young women’s journeys in their particular profession. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the young women at SHP worked hard to communicate public health messages to the Somali community. In September, SHP organised and facilitated an in-language COVID-19 Q&A session to provide a culturally safe space to ask questions on COVID-19 and the vaccines available. Alongside this, the team provides regular updates on COVID-19 to their following, as well as promoting COVID vaccines from the frontlines at Western Health vaccination hubs. The network is open to join at any time. Check Somali Healthcare Professionals out on Instagram @SomaliHealthcarePro_ and Facebook. Previous Next

The inaugural Huddle Holidays Multi-Art Super Clinic < Back Multi-Art Super Clinic - Huddle Holidays Winter 23' Previous Next

Celebrating community in North Melbourne < Back North Melbourne Public Housing Residents Association Community Fair 11 July 2024 Celebrating community in North Melbourne On Saturday, June 29th, 2024, the vibrant community of North Melbourne gathered at 33 Alfred Street to celebrate the official launch of the North Melbourne Public Housing Residents Association (NMPHRA). The inaugural Community Fair was a testament to the rich diversity and spirited culture of our local community. Highlighting Diversity and Community Spirit The Community Fair was a joyous occasion aimed at celebrating the diversity and community spirit that define North Melbourne. From cultural performances to interactive exhibits, the event showcased the myriad of cultures and traditions that thrive within our neighbourhood. In addition to cultural festivities, the Fair also spotlighted the invaluable services provided by local organisations. Attendees had the opportunity to learn about and engage with initiatives that support education, health, and social well-being within our community. Join us in celebrating the spirit of North Melbourne’s public housing community and discover how together, we can continue to foster a vibrant and inclusive neighbourhood. Previous Next

Watching tennis superstars up close! < Back A day at the Australian Open Jasper Menor 15 Jan 2025 Watching tennis superstars up close! Our Senior Huddle Holidays participants had an unforgettable day exploring the Australian Open! From the moment we arrived, the atmosphere was electric, with exciting activations at every turn—there was never a dull moment! We watched some Aussie superstars hit the courts for practice and even caught the first few sets of an incredible match between Naomi Osaka and Karolina Muchova. The thrill of seeing world-class tennis up close was truly inspiring. The feeling of watching tennis live is like no other—you can feel the energy and glory as two athletes battle it out in front of thousands. For many, it was their first time at the AO, making the experience even more special. The cheers, the action, and the sheer energy of the event made for a day we won’t soon forget! Stay tuned for more Huddle Holidays adventures and watch us hit the waves as we head to Anglesea! Previous Next

< Back Victorian Math Hoops Championship The first ever Victorian Math Hoops Championship was held at The Huddle this month. 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 3x3 Hustle Melbourne City Slam Previous Next

< Back Amomai's Story The welcoming environment that is fostered at Huddle Up! Steph Webb Previous Next

< Back Welcome 2 AFL, Tasmania W2AFL Lands in Launceston and Hobart across 2 exciting weekends. Ella Marsh Previous Next

River Nile student's reflection on her 2 years participating in Voice Your Voice < Back Aida's Voice Claudie Groves 19 Oct 2023 River Nile student's reflection on her 2 years participating in Voice Your Voice Aida is the first to complete two rounds of Voice Your Voice, a collaborative and hands-on advocacy program delivered by The Huddle to local secondary and VCAL students. Like her introductory experience in 2022, this year’s initiative encouraged Aida and her peers at River Nile School to think bigger than just awareness-raising, and to think about what it truly means to feel safe, valued, and included in society. Together, this group of young women not only spoke about the issues that are commonly faced by people of refugee and migrant backgrounds, but also – and more powerfully – explored ways to mobilise communities and build capacity for meaningful social action in this regard. They participated in several workshops with Voice Your Voice throughout their third semester, creating short video campaigns on topics of their own choosing. “My group focused on racism, which is a problem many of us face every day due to our hijabs and skin colour.” “Being able to talk about something so persistent, hurtful and wrong is really important, and advocating for change means a lot to those of us who have personally experienced racism.” Last year, Aida and her team worked on a media project about cyberbullying, which they argue is just as pervasive and challenging. The issue’s popularity and resonance also meant that this team grew to be the largest in Voice Your Voice’s history. “Everyone played a role, whether that was doing voiceovers, writing the script, editing or starring in the actual video.” “I really want to thank The Huddle for providing us with this opportunity as people who are new to Australia.” Voice Your Voice aims to inspire students like Aida, giving them the tools necessary to self-advocate and contribute to cohesive communities where all feel they belong. Previous Next

The efforts of midfielder Charlie Lazzaro have been recognised with the Peter Scanlon Community Award for 2022 < Back 'Laz' rises to claim Peter Scanlon Community Award Samantha Weston 2 Sept 2022 The efforts of midfielder Charlie Lazzaro have been recognised with the Peter Scanlon Community Award for 2022 Charlie Lazzaro experienced first-hand the impact that AFL players have on fostering a love of the sport in-person throughout his childhood in Geelong. He knew that if his dreams of playing professional football came to be, and if the opportunity ever presented itself, that he had a strong desire to return the favour to his new community in North Melbourne. Charlie was presented his jumper for Round 1 of 2021, and since then, has played 24 games for North Melbourne at a senior level. The now 20-year-old has been commended for his professionalism, resilience and maturity, the likes of which resemble someone who has been playing at a professional level for far longer than himself. He gives some of this credit to his senior teammates, who along with the younger cohort, have “…looked after us and really helped us transition into the AFL environment and really encouraged us not to go into our shells.” Charlie puts a lot of emphasis on team spirit at North Melbourne, and how the jump from playing Under 18s to AFL is underpinned by looking after your teammates, rather than individual performance. Since the middle of 2022, Charlie has been involved on a weekly basis with a program run by The Huddle that is very close to his heart. Huddle Up! Is a multisport program that provides young people with the opportunity to get involved and get active through social games of a variety of sports, as well as health and fitness classes delivered in a safe and inclusive environment. Growing up in Geelong, Charlie looks back fondly on the experience of AFL players coming to visit his school or trainings to share advice and get fellow aspiring players excited about what a future in footy might look like. These experiences helped shape as a player, and he is proud to be able to provide this experience to his new community at North Melbourne. Later into Charlie’s school years, he took part in the Duke of Edinburgh - an international youth development program that allows young people explore their full potential and find their purpose, passion, and place in the world. One focus of the Award is Voluntary Service, and Charlie spent his volunteer time throughout the program finding his passion for helping others and learning about the profound effect that volunteering his time can have on the wider community. [The Duke of Ed] was a pathway, and once I was lucky enough to get drafted to North, I was able to start working with The Huddle Program, and I’ve really enjoyed helping out since I started. - Charlie Lazzaro It is clear to Huddle Up! attendees and volunteers that Charlie has a special eye for inclusion. He can be seen always going out of his way to make sure every young person is getting the most out of the experience. If he spots someone falling a bit behind or catches them in their shell, he will always go out of his way to get them involved and getting the most out of the experience. He also makes the effort to hang around and shoot hoops or chat with the participants after the session is complete and shows a real joy for fostering these important relationships. On Thursday night, Charlie was named the winner of The Peter Scanlon Community Award, which exemplifies the spirit of giving, going the ‘extra mile’ on numerous occasions, often without recognition, and never expecting fanfare. During his acceptance speech, he talked about what an honour receiving the award was and how much it means to him. He has come full circle in giving back to his community what was so important to him in his youth, and has made a lasting impression on so many of young people at The Huddle in the process. Previous Next

The holidays got heated at the Huddle Holidays Volleyball Tournament! < Back Heating up the holidays with a Volleyball Tournament! 3 July 2024 The holidays got heated at the Huddle Holidays Volleyball Tournament! The Huddle Holiday Senior group gathered at Eagle Stadium, a venue filled with excitement and anticipation as the players prepared to showcase their skills on the court. The atmosphere was electric as teams geared up for intense matches, each player fueled by a combination of determination and camaraderie. With every smash, spike, and dive, the stadium echoed with cheers and high fives, a true testament to the passion and sportsmanship displayed by all participants. As the school holidays kicked off, these athletes left it all on the court, embodying the spirit of competition and teamwork. It was a memorable event where bonds were forged, memories were made, and a love for the game was reignited in each and every player. Previous Next