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< Back Helping Others To Find Their True North John King 2 Aug 2023 Confidence and communication skills to amplify ideas and stories. Employment Experiences are paid opportunities for young people to contribute their skills to a real-world project and are offered to successful participants from The Huddle’s Game Changers program. Participants are immersed in a supportive environment, designed to build their confidence, further develop skills, and amplify their ideas, while gaining relevant experiences that will benefit their career aspirations. Suleiman is 24-year-old male from Point Cook, who participated in our Autumn Game Changers program. He, along with 19 other participants were posed the question: "How can we tell the stories of elite athletes in a unique and engaging way?" and taken through a series of workshops designed to develop transferrable and project management skills, through a media and communications lens. Working in small groups, Suleiman and his peers used ideation strategies to develop and refine a solution to the central question, before creating a media and communications plan for their idea, with an accompanying slide deck, which would be presented to a panel of industry experts at our Pitch Event and Networking session. “I enjoyed meeting new people, being creative by brainstorming, collaborating with a team and using the 'yes and' mentality. It helped me understand that every idea has the potential to be a great idea.” After presenting his ideas at the Pitch Event, Suleiman was able to build his networks with professionals from the media and communications industry, learning about their career journeys and sharing his own aspirations of forging a career in creative media. Suleiman had displayed outstanding enthusiasm, professionalism, and reliability through his participation in Game Changers and was offered one of five Employment Experience positions, getting an opportunity contribute his own ideas to the next series of True North videos, before interviewing elite athletes from our AFL and AFLW programs. “Game Changers has been really rewarding. This program has provided me with a platform to be creative and work on an exciting project. Working alongside elite athletes was the best part. A great experience.” Game Changers Employment Experiences will continue to provide unique and relevant opportunities for young people to learn new skills, grow professionally and amplify their ideas to prove they truly belong in their aspiring career industries. Game Changers programs run every school holidays, please click here for more information. Previous Next

< Back Meet Selina from Study Squad! A safe space for young people engaged in education to learn, grow and belong. Patrick McPhee Previous Next

< Back Giving Back to My Community Jabrill is a young person from North Melbourne, who first engaged with The Huddle at age 13. Emily Maiorana Previous Next

< Back Nurturing Growth and Connection Abdullah's Journey with Huddle Up! Junior Mariam Taleb 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

< 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 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

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

< Back Participant profile: Ayden Bartlett Riley Goodwin 15 June 2022 Ayden takes part in the Guard of Honour during AFL Indigenous Round If you keep in the loop with The Huddle, you may have seen one of our participants take part in the Guard of Honour during AFL Indigenous Round this year. That participant is Ayden Bartlett Keppler, and that is only part of his journey at The Huddle. Ayden, age 13, first became involved with The Huddle in March this year, signing up to our Huddle Up! Seniors sessions at Manor Lakes P-12 College. His older sister had been attending the program, so he wanted to join in and check it out himself. Since then, Ayden has been coming to Huddle Up! consistently each week for the whole year. His favourite sport is AFL, and he also enjoys cooking and all things technology. An enthusiastic participant, Ayden is always creating new activities and games for The Huddle participants and even gets the staff to join in, since taking part in the program he has developed a love for indoor soccer, bocce (similar to lawn bowls) and badminton. "Ayden is constantly teaching me something each week at programs, whether it's how to complete a Rubix cube in 48 seconds, or anything sporty! He is always a joy in our programs delivering the vibes and the DJ tunes each week!" Community Sprot and Recreation Coordinator Candela Ferreyra Bas stated. Due to being a stand-out in the Huddle Up! Seniors cohort and a proud First Nations boy, Ayden was invited to the Guard of Honour for this North Melbourne Kangaroos Indigenous Round. Ayden attended the amazing experience with his younger brother Riley, who from that day, became a member of Roo Squad. Since his awesome experiences with The Huddle and at North Melbourne Kangaroos games, Ayden is a convert to the football club. Recently Ayden, his brother Riley, and his father Scott attended the Round 13 game versing the Giants to show their support for the club. Staff and volunteers at The Huddle admire Ayden’s commitment to the Huddle Up! Program. The energy he brings to each session with a big smile on his face makes The Huddle staff excited to see him each week! Previous Next

< Back Community Camp - Wyndham 2024 North Melbourne Football Club Community Camp Previous Next

< Back Aida's Voice Claudie Groves 19 Oct 2023 River Nile student's reflection on her 2 years participating in Voice Your Voice Aida is the first to complete two rounds of Voice Your Voice, a collaborative and hands-on advocacy program delivered by The Huddle to local secondary and VCAL students. Like her introductory experience in 2022, this year’s initiative encouraged Aida and her peers at River Nile School to think bigger than just awareness-raising, and to think about what it truly means to feel safe, valued, and included in society. Together, this group of young women not only spoke about the issues that are commonly faced by people of refugee and migrant backgrounds, but also – and more powerfully – explored ways to mobilise communities and build capacity for meaningful social action in this regard. They participated in several workshops with Voice Your Voice throughout their third semester, creating short video campaigns on topics of their own choosing. “My group focused on racism, which is a problem many of us face every day due to our hijabs and skin colour.” “Being able to talk about something so persistent, hurtful and wrong is really important, and advocating for change means a lot to those of us who have personally experienced racism.” Last year, Aida and her team worked on a media project about cyberbullying, which they argue is just as pervasive and challenging. The issue’s popularity and resonance also meant that this team grew to be the largest in Voice Your Voice’s history. “Everyone played a role, whether that was doing voiceovers, writing the script, editing or starring in the actual video.” “I really want to thank The Huddle for providing us with this opportunity as people who are new to Australia.” Voice Your Voice aims to inspire students like Aida, giving them the tools necessary to self-advocate and contribute to cohesive communities where all feel they belong. Previous Next

< Back YMCA’s 38th Youth Parliament initiative The Huddle saw a group of four young individuals participate in the Youth Parliament initiative. ​ Previous Next