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A celebration of youth, energy, and community during Ramadan. < Back Uniting Communities Through Sport at North Melbourne Previous Next

Mafan’s experience participating, volunteering, and working at The Huddle < Back Overcoming the barriers to employment Maddy Ware 11 Oct 2022 Mafan’s experience participating, volunteering, and working at The Huddle A lack of prior relevant work experience continues to be a barrier to employment for young people. This is especially the case for young people from multicultural backgrounds who must compete with cultural biases and other barriers ( VMC, 2021 ). In this current climate, young people struggle to gain work without previous paid employment experience and therefore often get into volunteer or internship roles to build their skill set. However, a lot of intern and volunteer roles are largely unpaid which leaves young people at risk of exploitation and therefore continue to struggle to gain paid employment experience. The objective of The Huddle is to bridge the gap for young people who are looking for real-world, paid employment experiences. By providing employment opportunities to young people with little experience, The Huddle can tap into the skills of diverse youth as well as nurture their development. Young people engaged with The Huddle’s Game Changers program are educated and supported to be better prepared and equipped with the skills, expertise and networks needed to integrate into the Australian workforce successfully, increasing economic inclusion, resilience and adaptability. Mafan is a 27-year-old international student from Thailand. Mafan first interacted with The Huddle when she applied for the role of Community Sport and Recreation Coordinator in January 2022. Mafan was drawn to The Huddle because she was intrigued by The Huddle’s use of sport to engage with diverse communities to improve education and employment outcomes surrounding North Melbourne and Wyndham. Mafan did not feel confident in her application and was encouraged to volunteer with The Huddle to build upon her experience. Mafan started volunteering with The Huddle in April 2022 where she supported a group of senior students to attend laser tag and bowling as part of the Huddle Holidays program. Mafan thoroughly enjoyed her experience and demonstrated excellent communication and social skills. Mafan then started volunteering with the Sports and Recreation team where she was able to combine her love of sports and community engagement. In June 2022, Mafan was offered the role of casual Program Support Officer at The Huddle. The role involved facilitating Study Squad (community homework club) across Wyndham and North Melbourne as well as Huddle Up! (sport and recreation programs) across both municipalities. During her time as a Program Support Officer, Mafan demonstrated significant growth in her confidence and leadership skills. In August 2022, Mafan was offered a five-week secondment for the role of Community Sport and Recreation Coordinator which was the original role that drew her to The Huddle. Subsequent to her volunteering experience at The Huddle, Mafan connected with the Careers Coordinator as part of the Game Changers program, in July 2022 to discuss her secondment at The Huddle and her career pathway. The Careers Coordinator coached Mafan to utilise the skills she had developed with The Huddle and keep working towards her career goals. In particular, the Careers Coordinator and Mafan explored how she could showcase her newly developed confidence to demonstrate her skills and experience in an interview setting. Through coaching delivered through Game Changers by the Careers Coordinator, Mafan was successful in obtaining a full-time role as a Graduate Consultant at Comacon. Mafan noted that she felt like the Careers Coordinator genuinely cared about her career and provided valuable insight into the nature of employment in Australia. Throughout Mafan’s journey, she identified that participating, volunteering and working across Huddle programs supported her to learn, grow and belong. Huddle staff observed the development of her skills in communication, specifically, her high-level ability to facilitate groups of younger participants and converse with the parents which demonstrated her ability to adapt her communication skill to specific audiences. Mafan identified that experiences across The Huddle scaffolded her to expand her leadership skills, confidence and independence. I felt more assured because the team at The Huddle had confidence in me, which meant I had confidence in myself. - Mafan Mafan’s newly developed confidence and communication skills helped her gain a full-time role. Not only had Mafan gained paid work experience to include in her CV. She also gained a better understanding of how to communicate her transferrable skills in an interview and therefore felt confident when applying for jobs and sharing stories with potential employers. Mafan disclosed that she was concerned about experiencing racism and discrimination in Australia. Mafan’s experience with The Huddle showcased there are supportive and culturally safe organisations in Australia and therefore her mindset changed from her first application to The Huddle back in January 2022. Mafan noted that it wasn’t until she assisted with programs such as Study Squad and Huddle Up! that she realised how many diverse communities resided in Melbourne. Mafan advised that her experience with The Huddle has given her great insight into Australian culture and workplace practices but also taught her that Australian employers, such as The Huddle, genuinely care about inclusivity. 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

Privacy is important to The Huddle. This Privacy Policy provides information about the personal information that The Huddle collect and the ways in which The Huddle may use, hold and disclose this personal information. Privacy Policy Your privacy is important to the Learning and Life Centre Ltd (The Huddle) (ABN 23 159 776 020). The Huddle is a registered charity under the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profit Commission. This Privacy Policy provides information about the personal information that The Huddle collect and the ways in which The Huddle may use, hold and disclose this personal information. VIEW THE POLICY

< Back Kevin’s Huddle Journey: New Skills, New Friends, New Perspectives From online beginnings to hands-on learning, Kevin’s made the most of every moment. Patrick McPhee Previous Next

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Celebrating rich diversity and resilient spirit at the Community Fair < Back Celebrating rich diversity and a resilient spirit! Fatima Ahmed 19 July 2024 Celebrating rich diversity and resilient spirit at the Community Fair The Community Fair event was held on Saturday, June 29, 2024, at the bustling location of 33 Alfred Street, North Melbourne. The event marked the highly anticipated official launch of the North Melbourne Public Housing Residents Association (NMPHRA), an organisation dedicated to advocating for and supporting the residents of North Melbourne's public housing community. The objective of the Community Fair was to celebrate the rich diversity and resilient spirit of North Melbourne's public housing community. The fair aimed to bring residents together in a joyous atmosphere, fostering a sense of unity and pride among attendees. Through a variety of activities and exhibits, the event highlighted the cultural mosaic that defines the area, showcasing the unique traditions, talents, and stories of its residents. The fair served as a platform to highlight the essential services provided by local organisations. Various stalls and booths were set up, each representing different community service providers, non-profit organisations, and local businesses. The event featured an array of engaging activities and entertainment. Children enjoyed face painting, games, and interactive workshops, while adults had the opportunity to attend cultural performances, including music, dance, and storytelling to celebrate the diverse heritage of the community. Overall, the community fair was a success and the launch of the NMPHRA was warmly welcomed, bringing together residents and stakeholders in a celebration of community spirit, diversity, and mutual support. Previous Next

Game Changers: Linking Participants with Professionals < Back Diving into the deep end of the networking pool Maddy Ware and John King 21 Mar 2023 Game Changers: Linking Participants with Professionals Networking continues to be a core part of the employment experience. Young people from Multicultural backgrounds who have been successful in gaining sustainable employment note the importance of strong professional and peer networks ( Meet Me in the Middle Report , Victorian Multicultural Commission p. 21, 2020). However, gaining access to strong professional networks can be difficult for young people from diverse backgrounds. The objective of The Huddle’s Game Changers program is to bridge the gap between young people and employers. Through partnerships and collaboration with other like-minded organisations, young people who engage with The Huddle can network with operations and groups that want to see them develop and thrive in their career journey. Arsema is a 17-year-old female from Tarneit. Arsema and was referred by partnering organisation, Ubuntu Project, to Game Changers, and has since taken part in The Huddle’s Study Squad and True North programs. Arsema attended Game Changers workshops during the September school holidays in 2022. The workshops were comprised of employability skill development, community project ideation and professional networking opportunities. In a recent interview with The Huddle, Arsema advised that a highlight of Game Changers was learning about different industries and the skills required to be a successful candidate and employee. On the first day of workshops, a representative from the YMCA was present and discussed the professional and community benefits of becoming a swim teacher. The discussion between the YMCA representative and the participants was informal but effective. The comfortable nature in which Game Changers presented industry professionals gave Arsema the confidence to approach the YMCA representative and inquire further about becominga swim teacher. Not long after the connection was made, Arsema took the steps needed to become a qualified swim teacher and has begun working for the YMCA at Carlton Baths. By prioritising networking as a core component of the program, Game Changers provides young people from multicultural backgrounds the opportunity to safely network with industry professionals in a way that is not intimidating or overbearing. In the employment landscape, the old saying of, ‘it is not what you know but who you know’ still rings true. By providing avenues for young people to link into and build their own professional networks, Game Changers is supporting participants to become more confident and, importantly, independent, when moving through and, eventually out of the program. Arsema has now been working as a swim teacher for several months and advised that her new role has “…allowed me to become more financially independent…” Through a combination of formal presentations and informal networking components, Game Changers will provide participants with a chance to connect with industry leaders and professionals. This affords young people with opportunities to not only grow their knowledge and networks, but also build their own confidence, as they meet new people who can provide advice and support along their career journey. Arsema plans to continue helping people in the future and advised that “…After high school, I’m hoping to continue swim teaching at Carlton Baths throughout university, and slowly make my way into either social work or healthcare.” Are you interested in taking part in Game Changers this school holidays? Please click here to sign up. Previous Next

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No one can deny that in the past two years, every member of the community faced challenges like never before < Back Volunteer profile - Tess Beagley Riley Goodwin 14 Jan 2022 No one can deny that in the past two years, every member of the community faced challenges like never before No one can deny that in the past two years, every member of the community faced challenges like never before. However, it takes a special kind of person to see the extra strain put on others and put their hand up to help. Tess Beagley is one such person. “It is just who I am, to always be doing something with the community,” said Tess. “When you’ve got skills to give to people who need the extra support then you can’t stand by, it’s just one of those things.” One of The Huddle’s 2021 volunteer recruits, Tess reached out to The Huddle after hearing about our after-school study program, Study Squad. “Towards the end of 2020 I was looking at tutoring and was put in touch with The Huddle to get involved with their Study Squad program. “I really felt for all the students last year but at the time there were so many volunteers for Study Squad that I actually ended up helping run Huddle Up programs for juniors. “After the year we’ve all had, I think the kids had eared a bit of a break so I was happy to help out in any way I could.” Moving into 2021, Tess was keen to still lend a hand and quickly found a spot volunteering with our school holiday program. “I’m starting a new job this month but earlier I had a bit of time up my sleeve, so I headed along to the Anglesea Surf Day and it was so much fun. “The kids loved it and I was so impressed with how quickly they took to the water.” Not only supporting young people begin 2021 with a smile, but Tess also soon discovered that through volunteering, she had built lasting connections with community members. “It was a really fun way to re-engage with the community and support people who have had a really hard year. I could follow up with parents and kids on how they have been over summer, so it was nice to have that connection. “Parents know how difficult life can be sometimes and then to give up your time, they really appreciate it. I got a lot of thank-you from the parents I saw which was really nice.” In supporting others, Tess found that she was able to bring back some happiness that was missing in recent times. Young people kicked off their year with cries of excitement as they saw the water for the first time, showcasing the resilience of young people in bouncing back from times of crisis. Volunteers are a core part of The Huddle and it is when we see young people supporting other young people to learn, grow and belong that we see the true strength in our community. Previous Next

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