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In partnership with Mott MacDonald, The Huddle has won the 2023 Asia Pacific Audio Visual Industry Award for the best application of AV in Education < Back The Huddle Claims Prestigious AV Industry Award North Media 5 Sept 2023 In partnership with Mott MacDonald, The Huddle has won the 2023 Asia Pacific Audio Visual Industry Award for the best application of AV in Education It is one of the most prestigious awards in the Australian AV Industry and was handed out in Sydney last week. The Huddle’s immersive education program 'Game Day' is helping thousands of students kick goals in the classroom with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The judges at the event praised the community engagement aspects of the project and the way it enables a new and immersive approach to teaching STEM. Previous Next

YMCA Camp Manyung, Mount Eliza < Back HERStory Camp Previous Next

Using all the learnings from Game Changers and using them for the Pitch event. < Back Pitch night with Game Changers! 16 July 2024 Using all the learnings from Game Changers and using them for the Pitch event. Creating an inclusive community sports event 🗣️ During the school holidays, our Game Changers participants went through a myriad of workshops, mentoring sessions and coaching to help them develop transferable skills and create an inclusive sports program with a chance to turn it into a reality. Using the skills and learnings from the course, they pitched their inclusive community sports programs to three panelists where they also had the opportunity to receive employment as well as develop their programs into something tangible. Game Changers run every school holidays! Stay tuned for the next one and join us to develop your skills for the future! We would like to acknowledge our partners Ubuntu Project, Paving the Way Forward and the Victorian State Government Previous Next

Taking NBA Math Hoops to the Big Apple! < Back The Huddle at the NBA Math Hoops Global Championships in New York City! Annabel Dorey 29 July 2024 Taking NBA Math Hoops to the Big Apple! The NBA Math Hoops Global Championships recently brought together young maths enthusiasts from around the world to compete in an exciting four-day tournament combining basketball, maths and social-emotional learning. Selected participants were flown to New York City, where they engaged in intense rounds of Math Hoops, alongside touring places like Syracuse University, Liberty Science Centre, and even attending the 2024 NBA Draft. The event highlighted the importance of combining education with fun, leaving a lasting impact on all involved and inspiring future champions. We were lucky at The Huddle to send three young people from participating schools to attend the Global Championships, supported by our partners Learn Fresh. Orion, Caitlin and Alice made The Huddle and their schools proud throughout the week with their maths skills, but even more so their outstanding sportsmanship and generosity – we were so proud of them all! Want your kids to have a chance to attend the Global Championships in 2025 for FREE? Get involved with The Huddle Math Hoops to receive your FREE class set of board games and curriculum. Nominations open early 2025, and any participating schools are encouraged to nominate! Previous Next

We join together to break fast at Arden Street. < Back The Huddle Iftar 2024 Previous Next

How The Huddle’s free tutoring program in Werribee is flourishing in 2022 < Back Strength to strength Josh Raymer 11 Nov 2022 How The Huddle’s free tutoring program in Werribee is flourishing in 2022 Study Squad Wyndham has seen strong growth as we return to an uninterrupted year of tutoring and study support. Attendance has grown steadily each term due to strong relationships with community groups such as the Oromo Women’s Networking Group, and an initiative with St Andrews Primary School in which The Huddle allowed Year 6’s to attend from Term 3. This led to a strong uptake in the program, which has generally only been available to Year 7’s and up. Post COVID, a challenge for Study Squad was building attendance after interruptions for most of 2020 & 2021. The transition from the online component of Study Squad and schooling to face-to-face delivery in 2022 proved to be a challenge for program organisers and volunteers alike. In 2022, we set out to reinvigorate relationships with schools in Wyndham, meet with community groups to provide more information on the program, and leverage The Huddle’s expertise in assisting families and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. The Huddle met with Rahima Ahmed from Oromo Women’s Networking Group to establish ways we could work together to support young people from the group with their study. Through this relationship, young people from Oromo backgrounds began to attend the program in a face-to-face capacity. The Huddle also worked with families from Somali backgrounds, including mothers involved in Iskufilan and Women’s Workout. Families and young people from these communities were encouraged to attend the program and Huddle staff assisted with the registration process. Further steps were also taken to make the space more inclusive for young people of Muslim faith, such as the addition of a prayer space for students and parents. The Huddle’s long standing and strong relationship with St. Andrews PS saw Year 6’s able to attend the program throughout Term 3 & Term 4. The Huddle has long delivered True North & Voice Your Voice programs at St. Andrews PS, and at the conclusion of these activities, The Huddle opened the program to students so that they can prepare for secondary schooling and to assist with the transition from Year 6 to Year 7, establishing excellent study habits in advance. With a large amount of support from St. Andrews PS teaching staff, the initiative has proven to be extremely successful. St. Andrews students have also started attending other Huddle programs such as Huddle Holidays, further highlighting the strong relationship between The Huddle and St. Andrews PS community. The Huddle’s relationships with schools in Wyndham allowed promotion of the Study Squad program through other programs, such as Huddle Holidays, Huddle Up!, True North, Voice Your Voice, Game Changers and more. With an increase in visibility of the program in the Wyndham community, there was also an increased demand for Study Support as young people returned to face-to-face learning. The past few years have been extremely difficult for many students, as they tried to navigate COVID interruptions and a lack of connection with others during this time. Parents and young people attend Study Squad to connect with Huddle staff, volunteer tutors and fellow students, all while receiving study support. Throughout 2022, we have seen several success stories and study achievements, including the story of Dasy Osman, who is a Study Squad participant currently undertaking Year 11 VCE study. Dasy first started attending Study Squad online during the peak of the COVID lockdowns in 2021, and consistently attended the program while we were unable to run face to face. Young people were often fatigued with online learning, but Dasy made the effort to attend the program on a regular basis regardless. Dasy displayed great resilience during this time, engaged with our tutors and continued to study well. Dasy was finally able to attend Study Squad face-to-face at the start of Term 1, 2022. Throughout 2022, Dasy hardly missed a session and even attended Study Squad when she had ‘pupil-free’ days. Importantly, Dasy lives in Tarneit and travels around 20-30 minutes to attend the program. Dasy has two younger sisters that also attend Study Squad, and she sets a great example for them in the way that she engages with her education. Dasy has been a role model for not only her sisters, but also other students at Study Squad, particularly the young women in attendance. Dasy demonstrates great discipline and leadership amongst the cohort, and this resulted in her being nominated for the ‘Most Outstanding Secondary Student’ award at the MY Education Awards Ceremony. Dasy was crowned ‘Most Outstanding Secondary Student – Runner Up’ due to her fantastic work at Study Squad. We’ve also seen former participants become casual program support officers, now delivering the program that they once attended as a participant. Betty Tegegne & Ekram Hassan-Ali have been supporting the delivery of the program throughout Term 4. It’s been incredible to watch the program grow throughout the year, with young people attending from so many different schools and backgrounds. I’ve been so impressed by students’ commitment to learning and study. - Josh Raymer, Education Coordinator at The Huddle As Study Squad – Wyndham continues to go from strength to strength, there is an increased demand for tutors. Without volunteer tutors, the program simply could not run. As we look ahead to 2023, we plan to have more volunteer tutors to support students as the program grows. Previous Next

< Back More Than a Game: Young People Leading the Way Empowering youth through football, leadership, and community connection. Zakaria Farah Previous Next

Spring has sprung with an action-packed holiday program! Huddle Holidays did not disappoint! < Back Spring Huddle Holidays 2024 Recap! Patrick McPhee 16 Oct 2024 Spring has sprung with an action-packed holiday program! Huddle Holidays did not disappoint! Spring Huddle Holidays 2024 have come and gone, and what an awesome couple of weeks it was for The Huddle! Huddle Holidays is a school holiday program offered at the end of each school term for primary and secondary school students aged 8-18. The program provides children and young people with opportunities to try new experiences, developing their skills and capacity across social inclusion, health and emotional wellbeing, leadership, education, and careers. Over the most recent holidays our Juniors (8- to 12-years-old) engaged in three awesome activities: Ninja Warrior, ACMI and a trip to Werribee Zoo. This term some of our most excited participants were our first time attendees who were ecstatic to have reached an age where they can attend all the activities. One enthusiastic young person shared that it was their “first time going without my parents and (they) made new friends”. They were thrilled! First on the junior itinerary was Ninja Warrior with Fighting Lyons Gym. On this exciting morning, the group was challenged both as teams and as individuals. They played whole group classics such as ‘The Floor is Lava’ and ‘Hide and Seek’ before splitting into groups and trialling different sections of the challenging Ninja Warrior course. This involved tightrope walking, swinging on the flying fox, jumping on the Trampoline and lots of climbing! The activity was an opportunity for some who had a background in gymnastics and circus to demonstrate their skills, but for most of the group it was a completely new experience. At the end of the activity when asked if they found anything challenging throughout the day almost everyone raised their hands. Then, when asked if they kept trying when the challenges occurred, they raised their hands again – how good is that! Leaving our first activity we were excited for the rest of the holidays; we knew we had a group of resilient juniors ready to try new things! Next, the juniors headed to ACMI in Federation Square. At ACMI, our young people got to explore the universe of Film, TV, Video Games and Art. The first stop was the ‘Beings’ exhibit, produced by Universal Everything. Here, young people had the chance to move, dance, and play to interact with a vibrant array of larger-than-life digital creatures, each reacting uniquely to their movements. Following this, the group moved into ‘The Story of the Moving Image’ exhibit, where they got to explore an interactive space that encouraged them to learn about the past, present and future of all things moving image. A big hit in this space was the Video Game zone. Participants identified that this was a different activity than what is normally offered at Huddle Holidays, which gave students the chance to learn new things – and who knows, maybe inspire a potential future artist? Our last activity for the juniors was heading to Werribee Zoo. This was our most popular activity these holidays, booking out weeks before the holidays even began. At the Zoo the participants spent time exploring the different enclosures, playing on the themed playgrounds, and dancing to some rhythmic African drumming. The highlight of the day for most was the safari. The Huddle group all loaded into a bus that drove us through some wide-open enclosures, passing Rhinos, Giraffes, Zebras, and so much more. While most commented on seeing the animals as their favourite moment, one young person shared that they liked “the zoo because it taught me new information”. We love that our participants love to learn! While exploring the Zoo the participants learned about the different animals, their diets and habitats, but also how to care for the world we live in and contribute to its preservation. It was a great way to cap off the junior program! Our seniors (13- to 18-years-old) these holidays had the opportunity to sign up for two activities and one career-ready training opportunity. We facilitated a Basic First Aid and CPR course, a Martial Arts life skills workshop and a 3v3 Basketball Tournament. One participant identified that their favourite thing was that “I get to meet new people and expand on various skills.” An additional focus of the senior program is to also provide experiences that can enhance career opportunities for young people through skill development, such as nationally recognised training. Our first activity these holidays engaged young people of employment age (14+) in a Basic First Aid and CPR course at The Huddle in North Melbourne. Young people spent time learning the basics of bandaging, injury management, CPR and more. Each young person left with a certificate of completion that they can add to their resumes, alongside important life skills that they can take with them everywhere. Next up for the seniors was the Martial Arts Life Skills workshop with Tessa Inc. and their MAT program, which was run at the Werribee Football Club. The theme of the session was connecting the values and fundamentals of MMA with mental and emotional wellbeing principles. Participants left the session with a greater understanding of the value in controlling what they can control. Through the acknowledgement of their resilience, they demonstrated they can overcome anything - even physical challenges such as squats, push ups, holding the T-Pose, evading, punching and so much more. Connecting our mind and our body is an essential part of wellbeing, and a valuable lesson to learn during adolescence. Our final senior activity was the 3v3 Basketball Tournament at Eagle Stadium in Werribee. Excitingly, this activity was planned and run by young people employed by The Huddle through our Employment Experience program, Game Changers (learn about Game Changers ( thehuddle.org.au ) here). The young employees’ contributions were acknowledged by the participants as a highlight of the day. One shared, “I like how some students our age helped organise and run it and I like how the day was set up and organised.” The tournament was a massive day that saw all the teams play a minimum of 6 games before finals, where we crowned both mixed and all-female competition winners, as well as a 3-point contest champion. However, the biggest win on the day was the demonstration of sportsmanship that filled the stadium. This excellent sportsmanship was embodied by the kindness of a team that took on one of the youngest participants after realising that his team had to leave halfway through the day. Thanks to our participants, their families, activity providers and partners – Victorian Department of Education and Bendigo Bank Seddon. We couldn’t have this much fun without you! Huddle Holidays will return in January 2025 with an all-new, exciting range of activities across both junior and senior age groups. If you would like and further information or to join our email list to be notified when we launch registrations, please email huddle@nmfc.com.au . If you’re looking to get involved in our programs that run throughout the term, please check out the below links: Study Squad ( thehuddle.org.au ) (10-25 years-old) Huddle Up! Junior ( thehuddle.org.au ) (5-12 years-old) Huddle Up! Senior ( thehuddle.org.au ) (12-25 years-old) Previous Next

< Back Stories from HERStory Camp Mount Evelyn Discovery Camp Asli Abdullahi Previous Next

Aussie Rules to new communities and schools, one kick at a time. < Back Bringing Footy to Wyndham & Shepparton Jasper Menor 5 Mar 2025 Aussie Rules to new communities and schools, one kick at a time. This year, the North Melbourne Football Club and The Huddle set out to bring the excitement of Aussie Rules Football to young people in Wyndham and Shepparton through the annual AFL Community Camp – and what an unforgettable experience it was! Over two action-packed days— Monday, February 10, and Tuesday, February 11 —the North Melbourne Kangaroos made a lasting impact, forging real connections and creating special moments with young people in local schools and communities. 44 AFL Men’s players and two AFL Men’s coaches stepped off the field and into classrooms, schoolyards, and local communities, proving that Aussie Rules is more than just a game—it’s about building a sense of belonging and community. To launch the Community Camp,The Huddle introduced our latest GOAL! Kangaroos lessons at Werribee Primary School , taking the footy experience beyond the field. These engaging sessions gave students the opportunity to learn through footy themed STEM activities fused with a Kangas flair before heading out to experience it firsthand. As Jodie, Assistant Principal for Wellbeing and Inclusion at Werribee Primary School, put it: "The reason we've loved making connections with North Melbourne and The Huddle is because we can see the benefits of engaging all students in their programs. It's great for those kids who are interested in sport, but also those kids who are interested in their STEM activities to come together, work together collaboratively, and develop new learning." This holistic approach to engagement ensures that young people—regardless of their interests—can find value in the programs and build new skills, whether on the field or in the classroom. Wyndham is Victoria’s fastest-growing cities and one of Australia’s most diverse communities, with over 70 languages spoken . However, only a small percentage of the population currently engages with Aussie Rules Football. The AFL Community Camp was designed to introduce the sport to new audiences, showing young people what the game is all about and inspiring them to get involved. From school visits to hands-on footy skills clinics , the Kangaroos set out to connect, inspire, and ignite passion for the sport. With a goal of engaging 4,500 young people , the impact was significant: 1,500 students in Shepparton welcomed the Kangaroos with cheers and excitement. 3,500 students in Wyndham had the chance to meet and learn from AFL players. But the real magic happened when the young people took the field themselves! For those already passionate about Aussie Rules, the Come & Play Auskick and Superkick Skills Clinic was a dream come true. This was their chance to lace up their boots, practice their skills, and experience the thrill of the game alongside professional AFL players. 90 kids in Shepparton brought their energy and enthusiasm to the field. 75 eager participants in Wyndham pushed themselves to new heights. Even when fatigue set in, the determination never wavered. As one player summed it up perfectly: “I’m running on empty, but I’m gonna find another gear.” Beyond the drills and excitement, the most powerful moments were found in the connections made along the way. One parent reached out to AFL Victoria , expressing deep gratitude for the visit. Her son, who had been struggling with mental health challenges, found joy and hope in meeting the players. A simple handshake and a smile meant the world to him. Then there was the young girl who was thrilled at the chance to attend a Kangaroos game—until she realised it clashed with her gymnastics class. With tears in her eyes, she approached Charlie Comben to apologise for missing it. That’s the kind of impact this camp had on young people. With Wyndham’s population rapidly expanding and becoming increasingly diverse, events like the AFL Community Camp are crucial for introducing Aussie Rules to new communities. The Kangaroos didn’t just visit—they showed thousands of young people that Aussie Rules Football can be a space for fun, connection, and personal growth. The days were long, and the schedule was packed, but the players never lost their energy. With every school visit, clinic, and conversation, they planted the seeds for a stronger, more inclusive footy community—one that will hopefully grow for years to come. We can’t wait to do it all again next year! Previous Next

< Back Heating up the holidays with a Volleyball Tournament! The holidays got heated at the Huddle Holidays Volleyball Tournament! Previous Next

Carmen Bruce from St. Damien’s Primary School share their journey with Math Hoops < Back Math Hoops: From the Classroom to the International Stage Jasper Menor 17 Sept 2025 Carmen Bruce from St. Damien’s Primary School share their journey with Math Hoops At St Damian’s Primary School , maths has taken on a whole new energy thanks to NBA Math Hoops. The program, delivered through The Huddle , has transformed how students engage with numbers — from those who struggle with maths anxiety to those who can’t get enough of it. Carmen Bruce , Maths Leader at St Damian’s, has seen the impact firsthand: "It's been fantastic as a maths leader to see all the kids being engaged in maths from our students that find maths a bit challenging or have anxiety with maths to our students that love maths and want to do it every day." Making Maths Fun and Accessible What makes Math Hoops so engaging is its mix of skill and chance. " “It’s got all different components to it, including our four operations and then the probability and chance. And the great component of this is that it has luck involved. So it doesn’t matter what skill level you’re at, sometimes you can have a stinker of a game and sometimes you can have a great game. So it’s been fantastic.” This balance means that every student — no matter their ability level — has the chance to succeed, play, and most importantly, enjoy learning maths. From Local Games to Global Opportunities The program has even opened doors beyond the classroom. " We were lucky enough to nominate two of our students to go to the international championships, and we were so thrilled to hear that one of our students got chosen. He had the most fantastic time over in America, meeting the players in the draft and just had such an experience. So those opportunities are so few and far between that it was just such an amazing challenge.” For the school community, watching one of their own compete on an international stage was a moment of pride and inspiration. A Partnership That Delivers Carmen credits The Huddle and its partners for making these experiences possible. “We really want to say a big shout out to Learn Fresh and the North Melbourne Football Club in The Huddle for all the amazing opportunities that we’ve had with them, from the training online for the teachers, to the board games being delivered to the school, the Victorian tournament and even the international championships, it’s been absolutely fantastic.” Through Math Hoops, St Damian’s Primary School has shown that learning doesn’t just happen in books — it happens through play, teamwork, and opportunity. Watch our interview with Carmen below! Previous Next