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An 8-year Surfing Adventure with Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club and Go Ride a Wave, Anglesea < Back Making Waves in Anglesea Ruth Game 19 Feb 2024 An 8-year Surfing Adventure with Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club and Go Ride a Wave, Anglesea The collaborative effort between Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club (ASLSC), Go Ride a Wave, Anglesea (GRAW) and The Huddle created another joyous beach experience for young participants and their parents this January. The generous provision of wetsuits and surf lessons from GRAW, coupled with the dedication of ASLSC volunteers, has each year become one of the major highlights of The Huddle calendar. This initiative, beginning in 2016 and now funded by The Department of Education and Bendigo Bank Seddon introduces first-timers to the beach, teaches skills for water competency and provides a quintessential Australian experience all by the generosity of the Anglesea community. Since the beginning of this partnership, over 150 wetsuits and 8 surf lessons provided by GRAW, there has been enthusiastic participation of ASLSC volunteers and the wider club over 9 visits to their venue, and overwhelming positive feedback from 300+ participants. "I was so impressed with the patience and enthusiasm that the young water safety volunteers displayed. They genuinely made the days of so many young people." – Huddle Staff Member In 2016, families living in Flemington, Kensington, North Melbourne and Ascot Vale were invited to brainstorm ideas for a Huddle school holiday program to keep youth engaged over the break. The concept of a Surf Trip began to form, and The Huddle reached out to Go Ride A Wave and Anglesea was quickly suggested as a suitable location for beginners. From there, a relationship with Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club was established and has strengthened year on year. ASLSC’s Nippers, volunteers, and young people have been keeping other young people and their families safe in the water and have shared in the joy of many participants’ first time at the beach. Three themes have emerged from this partnership over the years; the importance of water competency, social inclusion, and providing what is a quintessential Australian experience; a day at the beach with a snag. "I was so excited, and a bit nervous. I got dumped by a wave but I will definitely come back next year!” - Participant The generous contribution of wetsuits and surf lessons by GRAW has been a game-changer. Paired with the dedication of ASLSC volunteers and their newly renovated venue, the event has been meticulously organised every year. Partnering with GRAW and ASLSC has ensured the sustainability of such a well-loved program. “I was so impressed with the patience and enthusiasm that the young water safety volunteers displayed. They genuinely made the days of so many young people." – Huddle Staff Member “I can’t emphasise enough how loved this day is by the families we work with and that’s in huge part to the warmth and generosity of the Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club.” – Huddle staff member The success of this place-based partnerships initiative funded by the Department of Education and Bendigo Bank Seddon paves the way for future collaborations with ASLSC and Go Ride a Wave Anglesea. The Huddle is committed to expanding this program, ensuring more young people can experience the joy of the ocean in a safe and supportive environment. “The waves are kinda hard and I was like oh my god, I was really scared... I had a try and then it was really fun!” – Huddle participant To support initiatives like these and make a lasting impact on young lives, consider contributing to The Huddle's mission. Your support can help create more memorable experiences and positive transformations for the community. Previous Next

Youth Advisory Group builds stronger connections between young people and key decision makers < Back Young Voices Shaping North Melbourne Community Centre Zakaria Farah 5 Mar 2025 Youth Advisory Group builds stronger connections between young people and key decision makers The North Melbourne Community Centre (NMCC) Youth Advisory Group provided young people with a platform to shape their community centre while developing leadership and advocacy skills. In partnership with YMCA and the City of Melbourne , the program empowered participants to refine their communication and problem-solving abilities while contributing ideas to improve the North Melbourne Community Centre. Throughout the 10-week program across July-November, 12 young people worked collaboratively to identify opportunities for enhancing the centre’s inclusivity and engagement. They explored the question: What would you do with $10,000 to ensure the North Melbourne Community Centre is more welcoming, fun, inclusive, and usable? Through lively brainstorming sessions, passionate debates, and a few wild ideas thrown into the mix, they developed two key proposals: A Maker’s Space - A creative hub for arts and crafts A Games Room Revamp - improving equipment to make the space more engaging. The program culminated in a final presentation, where participants pitched their ideas to YMCA and City of Melbourne staff. This process not only encouraged youth-driven innovation but also helped strengthen relationships between young people, and key decision makers, ensuring their voices remain central to facilities future planning. “This process gave young people the opportunity to be heard and have a say in how their community centre serves them.” – YMCA Staff Moving forward, the advisory group will continue working with YMCA to refine and implement their proposals. This initiative has demonstrated the power of youth engagement in shaping community spaces , and we look forward to seeing these ideas take shape. Previous Next

Welcome To AFL Welcome to AFL is a free event for newly arrived, multicultural and international student communities to learn the basics of AFL! You'll experience the unique and memorable opportunity of being front and centre at one of Australia's most exciting stages for sport; Marvel Stadium. We'll teach you the ins and outs of footy, from rules to the skills, and cap it all off by watching a live game of footy from the mighty North Melbourne Kangaroos. EVENT DETAILS Date: Sunday 23rd March Time: 11:30 am - 5:30 pm Location: Marvel Stadium Cost: Free event (however registration is required) Food: Lunch and snacks provided Transport: We encourage you to use public transport OR park at Marvel Stadium. FREE SIGN UP

Aligned to the Victorian Curriculum, GOAL! uses the power of sport to engage students in Levels 3 to 6 in STEM. Fun and innovative basketball-themed STEM lessons, aligned with Curriculum. Filter by State Select State Filter by Learning Topics Select Learning Topics VICTORIAN CURRICULUM A Day In The Life Can your students present what a day in their life looks like using 12- and 24-hour time? VIEW LESSON VICTORIAN CURRICULUM Road Trip Can your students organise the travel plans for a basketball team pre-season competition? VIEW LESSON AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM A Day In The Life Can your students present what a day in their life looks like using 12- and 24-hour time? VIEW LESSON AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM Road Trip Can your students organise the travel plans for a basketball team pre-season competition? VIEW LESSON VICTORIAN CURRICULUM Final Minute Can your students utilise data to win the Grand Final in the final minute of the game? VIEW LESSON VICTORIAN CURRICULUM Rookie Card Can your students create their own player card identifying their physical and personal strengths? VIEW LESSON AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM Final Minute Can your students utilise data to win the Grand Final in the final minute of the game? VIEW LESSON AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM Rookie Card Can your students create their own player card identifying their physical and personal strengths? VIEW LESSON VICTORIAN CURRICULUM NBL Trophy Challenge Can your students design a new Championship Trophy using technology and mathematics? VIEW LESSON VICTORIAN CURRICULUM Shot Challenge Can your students improve the functionality and accuracy of a basketball catapult? VIEW LESSON AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM NBL Trophy Challenge Can your students design a new Championship Trophy using technology and mathematics? VIEW LESSON AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM Shot Challenge Can your students improve the functionality and accuracy of a basketball catapult? VIEW LESSON Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied It was high student engagement - peers communicating, using mathematical language, comparing, reasoning, measuring, justifying, analysing… Jane - Learning Specialist, Eagle Point Primary School In partnership with

Free STEM Lessons GOAL! is a series of fun and innovative sports-themed STEM lessons, aligned with Victorian & Australian Curriculum, and NSW Syllabus. Designed for Levels 3-8 FREE SIGN UP ACCESS LESSONS How GOAL! Lessons Work 3 Lessons To Get You Started VIEW LESSON Goal Accuracy Can your students use data to help the Kangaroos find the best location to kick goals? VIEW LESSON Goalie Reaction Experiment Can your students conduct experiments to see if they have faster reactions than Goalies? VIEW LESSON A Chance At Victory Can your students build a Supercars Championship team using a set budget? DESIGNED BY TEACHERS As former teachers, we get the sweat and magic that goes into crafting a great lesson! All our GOAL! lessons are created by teachers and tested in real classrooms to make sure students can dive in, explore, explain, elaborate, and evaluate together. We make it super easy for you to plug and play with detailed lesson plans and all the fun resources students need. CURRICULUM LINKED Mapping lessons to the curriculum is crucial but can be a real headache. We've done the heavy lifting so you can focus on bringing these lessons to life in the classroom. Plus, we'll stay on top of any curriculum changes to ensure you can keep using these lessons with new classes without a hitch. EXCITING SPORT STARS Just like us, students love sports stars, so each of our GOAL! lessons includes a video featuring a sports star who introduces the lesson and helps draw the connection between the STEM-based activity and their sport. Play this at the start of the lesson to get your students buzzing! PLAY / SPORT THEMED Sport and play are powerful vehicles in Education. Introducing a sports context in learning improves attitudes towards abstract concepts and brings them into the real world. While integrating sports and play into lessons is beneficial, it demands precious time and energy, which are often scarce for teachers. That's why we created GOAL! FREE SIGN UP ACCESS LESSONS Get A Taste Of The Lessons FREE SIGN UP

Ten male participants took a leap and climbed high in the first ever HIStory Camp < Back HIStory Camp debuts Riley Goodwin 29 Nov 2021 Ten male participants took a leap and climbed high in the first ever HIStory Camp In the serene location of Anglesea, ten male participants took a leap and climbed high in the first ever HIStory Camp. Facilitated by Cali Bukurow the Coordinator, Social Cohesion – Children and Young People, the camp saw the ten participants aged 12-25 head down by the coast to YMCA Anglesea for a two-day action-packed experience. Based on the female equivalent HERstory Camp, the program aims to increase group participation and build connections among all participants. The camp activities kicked off with challenges of new heights, with the high rope course. The activity gave the young men a chance to bond and showcase their teamwork and motivational skills as they navigated through the obstacles. Shortly after, participants decked themselves in lifejackets and helmets, with paddles in hand for an afternoon of canoeing. With three participants per canoe, the young men collaborated together and practiced good communication to ensure they were a smooth sailing team. “I was really looking forward to the canoeing activity.” Said one participant, Yunus. Early on Sunday morning, the young men tackled the wall climb. Another opportunity to build confidence amongst the participants, as well as getting active. The final day of HIStory was topped off with games of indoor soccer and basketball where everyone got a chance to shoot some hoops and kick it like Salah. This was followed by a round at the archery area, finessing their sharp shooting skills. “So much fun! Wish the camp days were longer” participant James said. In partnership with YMCA Victoria and the Victorian State Government, HIStory provides men with culturally appropriate activities to engage young men, connect and build networks as well as pushing participants out of their comfort zones. Previous Next

Fred Alale AM, Yasseen Musa OAM, and Gary Lee OAM have been recognised in this year’s Australia Day Honours List, for significant service to the multicultural communities of Victoria < Back Huddle trio honoured for services to the community North Media 31 Jan 2023 Fred Alale AM, Yasseen Musa OAM, and Gary Lee OAM have been recognised in this year’s Australia Day Honours List, for significant service to the multicultural communities of Victoria Fred Alale AM, Yasseen Musa OAM, and Gary Lee OAM have been recognised in this year’s Australia Day Honours List, for significant service to the multicultural communities of Victoria. The Order of Australia is the pre-eminent way Australians recognise the achievements and service of their fellow citizens. Last week, three of North Melbourne Football Club and The Huddle’s most respected volunteers were honoured for their services to the community. Fred Alale AM, a passionate North Melbourne Football Club member, has over two decades of experience as a public service professional in both Australia and the UK. More recently, he has been a part of the Victorian governments efforts to keep Victorian businesses in line with the Public Health Officer’s regulations. He has been recognised and awarded with this honour as a result of his enormous contributions to the African Australian communities that reside in Victoria. He serves on multiple boards apart from The Huddle’s Advisory Committee, including Chair of the African Music and Culture Festival, and is the Treasurer of Africa Day Australia Inc. He is also a member of the Victorian African Communities Action Plan implementation committee. Alongside Fred on the Advisory Comittee of The Huddle and a Committee Member of the African Music and Cultural Festival, is Gary Lee OAM. He was recognised for service to the community through a range or organisations. First arriving in Melbourne as an international student from Malaysia, Lee quickly fell in love with the city, the North Melbourne FC and everything it had to offer. There are a lot of people in Australia who don’t have much but are willing to give everything to help others, and this Australian spirit is everything I am about. - Gary Lee OAM Working closely with The Huddle, Lee has worked tirelessly with international students empowering them to learn new skills, grow their network, and form new connections within the community through Welcome to AFL sessions. Gary continued his work throughout the pandemic, even if that meant that Welcome to AFL sessions looked a bit different to what everyone was used to. Yaseen Musa OAM has been the Multicultural Ambassador for the North Melbourne Football club since 2020. He is a former member of the Multicultural Australian Football League Committee, in which he won the Multicultural Community Ambassador of the Year Award back in 2015. Arriving in Melbourne over 25 years ago, the father of six was quick to recognise the need to bring hope and a sense of belonging to migrants. Working closely with The Huddle, Yasseen says that sport had played a key role in helping young people learn new skills, meet new people, and provide a new home. When new families arrive in Melbourne, we need to give them hope and we need to give them a place where they can feel safe which is what our community does. - Yasseen Musa OAM Musa OAM played a pivotal role in aiding more than 3,000 residents of Melbourne’s public housing towers, who found themselves suddenly in lockdown due to COVID-19. Delivering culturally sensitive food and medicine and aiding nurses, police and government bodies in communicating with local residents, he worked tirelessly to ensure each and every community member was receiving the right care. The Huddle’s CEO Cameron McLeod said: “Fred, Gary and Yasseen are all outstanding role models who epitomize the ‘Shinboner Spirit’. Their passion is unwavering as is their dedication to create rich cultural experiences for all Victorians to learn, grow and belong alongside other cultures. Their contributions to The Huddle, as volunteers and cultural leaders has been invaluable. Their Australia Day Honours is a testament to the impacts and benefits of multicultural communities’ contributions to Australia”. The North Melbourne Football Club and The Huddle would like to extend their congratulations to Fred, Gary and Yasseen for their awards, and acknowledge their selfless work in empowering all young people to continue to learn, grow and belong. Previous Next

2023 Spring Huddle Holiday's Program < Back Sanhae's Spring Emily Phu 31 Oct 2023 2023 Spring Huddle Holiday's Program Huddle Holidays is a free school holiday program that provides young people with opportunities to try new experiences and develop their skills and capacity across social inclusion, health, emotional wellbeing, and leadership. Throughout this Spring School Holiday program at The Huddle, Senior participants had the opportunity to go to Strike Bowling & Laser Tag, Bounce, and to compete in the Huddle’s Basketball Slam, offering a diverse range of activities to keep them engaged and excited. School holidays can be a period where young people may disengage from safe social activities. The Huddle aims to contribute to the reduction of anti-social behaviour by providing activities to engage young people throughout the school break. Further, with the rising cost of living, young people may face financial barriers to access engaging activities, making Huddle Holidays a free option for both the youth and their families. “Huddle Holidays was very fun, very inspiring, and very convenient because you brought us there and brought us back.” Sanhae has attended Huddle programs over 60 times (including Huddle Holidays and Huddle Up!) since joining in 2021. He initially attended Huddle Holidays for the sports tournaments but attended every Senior program this time round. “I had a lot of fun hanging out with the staff members who did Bowling with us and played Dodgeball at Bounce with us.” When asked why Sanhae chose to come to Huddle Holidays for the first time, they shared that “…we are getting older, so there’s not a lot of opportunities left. I also don’t have anything else to do on the holidays. With costs and transport covered, I just had to show up - so it was fun! It was also nice to hang out with friends and make new friends too.” Sanhae will continue to engage in the Huddle’s program, including Huddle Up! at Werribee Secondary College and Huddle Holidays. He is more interested in attending future Huddle Holidays to experience different activities during their school holidays, which speaks to the program's long-lasting impact and appeal to the young people of the North Melbourne, Flemington, and Wyndham communities. Previous Next

< Back Welcome To AFL - Session 2 Round 18 v Hawthorn Previous Next

The Huddle Up! Senior Program in Wyndham < Back Empowering Youth Through Sport Stephenie Webb 8 June 2023 The Huddle Up! Senior Program in Wyndham In the vibrant community of Wyndham, the Huddle Up! Senior program has been making a positive impact on young people's lives for the past 6 years. Developed in collaboration between The Huddle and Point Cook Senior Secondary College (PCSSC), this program aims to engage and empower youth through sport and recreation activities. With a focus on fostering inclusivity, belonging, and personal development, the Huddle Up! Senior program has become a catalyst for positive change in the community. Established in 2017 with support from the Wyndham City Council, the Huddle Up! Senior program now runs in three locations across Wyndham and offers a safe and welcoming environment for students in years 7 to 12 to participate in sport and recreation activities. By leveraging the power of physical activity, the program promotes a sense of belonging within the community, enabling individuals, families, and the local community to thrive. Over the past three years, the Huddle Up! Senior program at PCSSC has been instrumental in creating acceptance of diversity and building an inclusive community. The program has helped young people develop social networks, make connections, and engage in physical activities in a psychologically safe space. Through discussions with program participants, it is evident that the program has become a vital outlet for after-school socializing and unwinding. A survey conducted this year showed that 72% of Huddle participants have built connections in their local community, and 85% have increased their physical activity levels since joining The Huddle. "It's an opportunity to unwind after school... the Town Centre is too overwhelming to hang out in after school." - Program Participant Beyond its recreational benefits, the program has empowered young individuals by fostering leadership and initiative skills. Participants are encouraged to organize themselves into teams, coordinate social round-robin tournaments, and even assist with umpiring and scoring. The program's positive influence has extended beyond the sports field, inspiring collaborative projects with partners like Wyndham Youth Services, which aim to further empower young leaders. In 2022, the Huddle Up! Senior program at PCSSC attracted over 189 unique participants from 41 different cultural backgrounds. With a total of 1,196 attendances throughout the year, the program has effectively reached young people from 12 different schools across Wyndham. This year, registration numbers have been equally as promising, with 134 new registrations and 476 attendances from Nov 2022 until June 2023. With an average of 44 attendances per session, these statistics demonstrate the program's popularity and the strong desire for its continuation. The Huddle Up! Senior program stands as a testament to the transformative power of sport and recreation in the lives of young people. Through its commitment to inclusivity, empowerment, and social engagement, the program has created a positive ripple in the Wyndham community. Huddle Up Senior at Point Cook Senior, continues to run every Thursday night from 3:00pm – 5:30pm in the school Gymnasium. Register via the link here . Previous Next

< Back The Huddle's Annual Iftar Event A Journey of Personal Growth and Community Connection Out of gallery Previous Next

Ascot Vale West PS students got the first crack at GOAL! Kangaroos < Back GOAL! Kangaroos Takes Over Arden St! Jasper Menor 21 Feb 2025 Ascot Vale West PS students got the first crack at GOAL! Kangaroos GOAL! Kangaroos officially launched at Community Camp, and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick things off! To help us refine and perfect our latest footy-themed STEM lessons, we teamed up with Ascot Vale West Primary School for a live demo. The students made their way to Arden St. the North Melbourne Football Club’s home turf , where they got hands-on with our newest lessons. From building kicking machines to see who could kick the furthest, to redesigning Arden St. footy facilities to help the Kangas win. They had a blast testing their skills! As if that wasn’t exciting enough, we had a special guest appearance from Emma Kearney , the captain of the AFLW North Melbourne Kangaroos , who’s featured in our lesson “ Kicking Machine .” The kids were absolutely stoked to see Emma in action and take their own kicks alongside a true footy legend! The students had a ripper time and absolutely crushed the lessons, making it a day to remember. Get your hands on GOAL! Kangaroos today and get your students in the game! Previous Next