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

W2AFL Lands in Launceston and Hobart across 2 exciting weekends. < Back Welcome 2 AFL, Tasmania Ella Marsh 9 Nov 2023 W2AFL Lands in Launceston and Hobart across 2 exciting weekends. The Welcome to AFL program is making waves by engaging with international students, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and newly arrived members of the community. In a safe and welcoming environment, the program introduces them to the world of AFL, promoting a sense of belonging and ensuring participation in Australia's beloved sporting culture. A group of 60 participants had the opportunity to experience AFL and AFLW across two exciting weekends in Hobart and Launceston. Many had never attended an AFL game before, but through the program, they not only witnessed the North Melbourne vs. Melbourne match but also the game against the Brisbane Lions. After attending Welcome to AFL, The NMFC membership team provided all participants with a 3 game membership to maintain their enthusiasm to attend further AFL and AFLW games. This instalment of "Welcome to AFL" (W2AFL) was held at Blundstone Arena which included a presentation and a unique opportunity for participants to engage with AFLW stars Nicole Bresnahan and Ellie Gavalas in a Q&A session. The attendees were then divided into two groups: UTAS students took part in a clinic conducted by AFL Tasmania, Nicole Bresnahan, and Ellie Gavalas, where they learned to handball and kick. Meanwhile, the Migrant Resource Centre group enjoyed a tour of the stadium, exploring various areas such as function spaces, private boxes, the gym, oval, coaches' boxes, and changerooms. After the activities, they swapped groups and received giveaways and tickets to the upcoming match against Melbourne. UTAS international student, Rosie, shared her experience from her first W2AFL session; “I’m from Wales and arrived in July and I’m spending a year here (Hobart) studying at UTAS. The North Melbourne vs Melbourne match was the first AFL game I’ve seen, I hadn’t heard of AFL until I came to Australia! I thought it was a really interesting game but not what I expected, I thought it would be more like rugby I think, I really enjoyed the game though and am hoping to give it a go and play it for the college next semester!” – Rosie Llewellyn The Welcome to AFL program aims to open the doors to the world of AFL and form connections within the community. The program's success in both Hobart and Launceston has paved the way for further expansion in Hobart and Launceston, where AFL and AFLW games will continue to be a source of excitement and connection. Previous Next

< Back Empowering Young Women to Learn, Grow and Belong with the River Nile School The River Nile School has partnered with The Huddle to empower students' leadership and sense of belonging. Josh Raymer Previous Next

< Back The Huddle partner with NBL to deliver GOAL! The Huddle has partnered with the NBL to deliver GOAL!, a basketball themed program to primary school students Riley Goodwin Previous Next

< Back Volunteer Get to Know: Eli As The Huddle’s impact in the Wyndham area continues to grow, our volunteers and their connections to the community are vital in helping young people learn, grow and belong Riley Goodwin Previous Next

NBA Math Hoops, the quality, easy-to-implement, easy-to-access resource for your classroom. < Back Unleashing the Power of Sport to Improve Numeracy Emily O'Halloran 9 May 2024 NBA Math Hoops, the quality, easy-to-implement, easy-to-access resource for your classroom. In the words of Nelson Mandela, " Sport has the power to change the world…to inspire...to unite people... It speaks to youth in a language they understand." This wisdom transcends beyond the playing field and resonates within our classrooms. Research published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health underscores the connection between sports-based learning activities and heightened student motivation, improved attendance, and enhanced academic performance. But what about the specific links between sport and mathematics? The evidence is compelling. In a 2017 study, Sanchal and Sharma found that introducing a sports context in learning improved attitudes towards maths. Furthermore, findings from the American Institutes for Research demonstrated that students engaged in sports-related maths programs showed enhanced problem-solving, critical thinking, and overall maths proficiency. As a former Numeracy Leader, I've seen firsthand the transformative effect of infusing sports into maths lessons. Games like dodgeball for statistics, BinBall for percentages, and table soccer for angles make abstract concepts tangible, fun and playful experiences. Lessons like "Impossible Soccer Angles" and "Kicking Goals," part of the Middle Years Mathematics Challenges series by the Mathematical Association of Victoria, demonstrate how maths and sports can not only break down barriers but also make learning fun and engaging. While integrating sport and play into lessons is undoubtedly beneficial, the reality is that it demands precious energy and time, both of which are scarce commodities for teachers. Fortunately, there are quality, easy-to-implement, easy-to-access resources available. One standout example is NBA Math Hoops, a program designed by Learn Fresh for primary and junior secondary students. In NBA Math Hoops, students simulate basketball games using a board game format that incorporates real-life statistical data from NBA players. Through this engaging approach, students not only reinforce their mathematical skills but also develop a deeper appreciation for the practical applications of numeracy in everyday life. Students draft NBA players for their team, assess player statistics, strategise game moves, and make decisions based on mathematical principles. The success of NBA Math Hoops and similar programs lies in their ability to bridge the gap between abstract mathematical concepts and real-world applications. By incorporating sports into the learning process, students are more likely to stay engaged and enthusiastic about maths. The dynamic nature of sport fosters teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills – all essential components of mathematical proficiency. Harriet Dunn, a primary school teacher from Merri-Bek Primary School, put it very simply after bringing NBA Math Hoops into her classroom: “For once the students looked forward to maths lessons”. The power of sports to engage students in maths is not just theoretical; it's real and transformative. As school leaders, consider championing programs like NBA Math Hoops to create an environment where learning becomes synonymous with excitement. Get free access to NBA Math Hoops in your school and explore how The Huddle is improving education and employment outcomes through the power of sport by following this link: https://www.thehuddle.org.au/nbamathhoops Previous Next

< Back Cultural Diversity Week – Israel Segall Meet Huddle volunteer, Chilean journalist and footy convert Israel Segall Riley Goodwin Previous Next

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

A day of creative fun! Kicking off Huddle Holidays with Arts & Crafts. < Back Creative Fun at Huddle Holidays Jasper Menor 14 Jan 2025 A day of creative fun! Kicking off Huddle Holidays with Arts & Crafts. Huddle Holidays brought creativity to life at The Huddle on Arden St.! The day kicked off with games and activities, sparking laughter, curiosity and new friendships. Our Junior participants explored origami, bead-making, and drawing, turning imagination into colourful masterpieces. Beyond crafting, they bonded, shared ideas, and celebrated their creativity together. A huge shoutout to our amazing facilitators, who made every moment engaging and fun. Their energy, encouragement, and smiles kept the excitement alive—just look at the joy on our participants' faces! As the day wrapped up, everyone left with not just their artistic creations, but also new friendships and fun memories. Stay tuned to our stories to see what else our Huddle Holidays participants got up to these Summer holidays! Previous Next

< Back Welcome to AFL North Melbourne Kangaroos v St Kilda Previous Next

How one creative idea became a platform for real conversations and community connection. < Back Think Progress, Not Perfection Zakaria Farah 9 Oct 2025 How one creative idea became a platform for real conversations and community connection. Abdiweli’s story is what How We Move is all about. He was never one to be boxed in by a single path. Instead of waiting to figure everything out, he leaned into what he enjoyed — creative work. What began as a simple idea to start a podcast grew into the Fairdinkum Podcast , a platform that has made its mark by sparking conversations, challenging ideas, and amplifying voices that matter. Guided by the motto “think progress, not perfection” Abdiweli has built something that is both influential and relatable. His journey is a reminder that you don’t need to have everything planned from the start. Success can come from trying, from following curiosity, and from giving yourself space to grow along the way. His story shows that sometimes the best moves aren’t planned — they’re discovered. How We Move is a series that captures the different ways voices from our communities navigate life, pursue their dreams and make an impact. “Move” is about more than motion. It is moving through challenges, moving towards opportunities and moving forward in our own way. This series shares the real stories of voices who turned challenges into opportunities and dreams into reality. Each journey reminds us there is no single definition of success. What matters is how we move towards it and the possibilities we open up along the way. 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