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The Huddle Holiday Juniors hone their skills in Aussie Rules and Soccer! < Back Warming up this winter with AFL and Soccer clinics 4 July 2024 The Huddle Holiday Juniors hone their skills in Aussie Rules and Soccer! The Huddle Holiday Sports Clinic at Avalon Airport Oval, home of the Werribee Football Club, offered young sports enthusiasts a day of soccer and AFL training to enhance skills and promote teamwork. The engaging sessions included drills and skill games to challenge and develop abilities. The Cart Co team's warm hospitality with hot chocolate and coffee added to the festive atmosphere, keeping participants cozy. The blend of sportsmanship, skill-building, and comfort provided a holistic experience, leaving a lasting impression on young athletes for a memorable day of learning and fun. Previous Next

< Back Students find their True North Joining the Flemington Education Plan Strategic Advisory Group Joshua Raymer Previous Next

Empowering Primary Teachers with Engaging STEM Resources < Back Shoot and Score Annabel Dorey 14 July 2023 Empowering Primary Teachers with Engaging STEM Resources As a part of The Huddle’s Education Team, Sophie Stewart and Annabel Dorey had the unique opportunity to present at its education partner, the Mathematical Association of Victoria's (MAV), regional and primary teachers conferences. The aim of the workshops was to engage primary teachers in the field of mathematics education by showcasing the exciting teaching and learning resources available through the GOAL! , Game Day, and NBA Math Hoops programs . This ongoing relationship with MAV continues to provide positive outcomes for primary teachers and their students across Victoria. With a deep understanding of the potential of mathematics education, The Huddle developed a suite of interactive and engaging resources that integrate mathematics concepts with popular sports, including basketball and football. The goal was to inspire and motivate primary students to develop a passion for mathematics through their love for sports. At the conferences, The Huddle's workshop, “Shoot and Score”, focused on the integration of sports-themed resources into the Victorian primary mathematics curriculum. The team demonstrated how GOAL!, Game Day, and NBA Math Hoops can be effectively used to enhance students' mathematical understanding while making learning fun and relatable. The Huddle's hands-on approach to the workshop captivated the teachers and showcased how mathematics can be applied practically in sports. The session incorporated elements of problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork, allowing the teachers to experience firsthand the benefits of these resources. The integration of sports-themed resources into mathematics education provides many advantages for both teachers and students. Primary teachers found the resources to be highly engaging and appreciated their versatility in catering to students' diverse learning styles. By incorporating sports-related scenarios into mathematics lessons, teachers were able to contextualise mathematical concepts, making them more accessible and relevant to their students' lives. The Huddle's resources not only enhance student engagement but also foster the development of essential mathematical skills. Students are encouraged to apply mathematical concepts such as measurement, data analysis, and geometry to solve sports-related problems. The integration of real-world examples motivates students to actively participate in their own learning and apply mathematical principles to practical situations. The Huddle's presentation at the MAV regional and primary teachers’ conferences successfully engaged teachers of mathematics and showcased the effectiveness of our sports-themed teaching and learning resources. By integrating the three highlighted programs, The Huddle empowered primary teachers to make mathematics education more exciting, relevant, and accessible for their students. Through this innovative approach, The Huddle continues to inspire a new generation of mathematically confident and sports-loving learners. Check out our FREE resources here . Previous Next

< Back Welcome to AFL, Round 6 v Hawthorn Our biggest Welcome To AFL ever! Previous Next

< Back Helping Others To Find Their True North Confidence and communication skills to amplify ideas and stories. John King Previous Next

< Back Victorian Math Hoops Championship The first ever Victorian Math Hoops Championship was held at The Huddle this month. Previous Next

< Back Huddle Holidays - Spring '23 All the best moments from the most recent Huddle Holiday's 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 Wonder & Wander: A Day of Museum Magic Capturing the spark of discovery as our young legends explore the best of Melbourne. Previous Next

North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos captain Emma Kearney has been awarded the 2022 Tom Hafey Variety Heart of Football Award < Back North captain rewarded for outstanding community work North Media 27 Sept 2022 North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos captain Emma Kearney has been awarded the 2022 Tom Hafey Variety Heart of Football Award North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos captain Emma Kearney has been awarded the 2022 Tom Hafey Variety Heart of Football Award. The award, presented by Variety - the Children's Charity, acknowledges a current AFL or AFLW player who has demonstrated selfless actions and dedication to children. It is named in honour of football legend Tom Hafey who coached and played at several clubs before inspiring thousands of school children with his community work. Kearney is the Head of Education at The Huddle and throughout the past 12 months she has designed and delivered programs to support thousands of children and young people's resilience, mental health and well-being and helped educators address the complexities of home learning during COVID lockdowns. Through her leadership, the True North program was established to help engage at-risk and vulnerable students from diverse backgrounds. Over the past year, the program has benefited more than 650 children and young people by helping them learn, grow and belong by being re-engaged in their classroom. Kearney's passion for education has seen her become the first AFLW player to receive the award, and she joins a list of past winners that includes Joel Selwood, Eddie Betts, Luke Ball and others. 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

Basketball is breaking barriers and empowering youth in Melbourne’s West. < Back Using Basketball to Empower Melbourne’s Youth Rachael Scotland 5 Mar 2025 Basketball is breaking barriers and empowering youth in Melbourne’s West. Shooters Shoot is a Melbourne based youth organisation that works to raise money and awareness on key issues facing young people in Western Melbourne including breaking the stigma around mental health, youth disengagement, and the value of sport. Their work culminates in an end of year charity basketball tournament which, now in it’s fourth year, brings together over 1000 people throughout the weekend; the reputation of this event has begun drawing basketball teams from across the country. After the event, organisers work to support young people in Melbourne’s West by providing workshops, free counselling, building bikes and delivering their message through schools. Over the course of the two-day event, they were able to raise $40,000. Shooters Shoot has raised over $100,000 over their last 4 major events, which is reinvested back into community. Huddle staff attended the recent tournament in December, and created a video that captures some of the excitement of the tournament weekend, as well as highlighting the impact their work has across the year. We are working together with Shooters Shoot to help build their capacity as an organisation, to ensure this small volunteer led organisation is able to continue to engage thousands of young people and deliver their powerful message. Previous Next