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< Back The Huddle launches Australian-first immersive AFL program, Game Day North Media 29 Sept 2022 The North Melbourne Kangaroos have officially launched Game Day, The Huddle’s newest education program The North Melbourne Kangaroos have officially launched Game Day, The Huddle’s newest education program. Game Day will run out of The Huddle’s new-look facility, developed as part of the club’s current upgrades to its Arden Street headquarters. An Australian-first immersive AFL themed program, Game Day will be presented in a world-class education centre featuring cutting-edge technology. The Huddle has launched its new facility and program Game Day, which will see thousands of local students experience a cutting-edge and interactive way of learning Game Day will take grade 5 and 6 students on an empowering journey to build on their strengths and plan for their future. Throughout the Game Day experience, students will work in teams to complete STEM challenges which will require teamwork and resilience to solve problems and learn how to win. Innovative technology will be used to create an atmosphere where students feel like they are part of an AFL game. Since its inception in 2010, The Huddle’s award-winning programs have engaged more than 100,000 young people from over 160 different cultures, with a particular focus on those that are vulnerable and at risk of disengagement. Game Day encompasses our mission at The Huddle, and we are thrilled to see the concept come to life through this incredible facility, made possible through a $7.3 million investment by the Victorian State Government. - The Huddle CEO Cam McLeod In 2023, Game Day is expected to engage up to 4,500 students from 100 schools located in low socio-economic areas across Victoria. “At The Huddle, our mission is to improve education and employment outcomes for young people by leveraging the power of sport,” The Huddle CEO Cam McLeod said. “Pre-COVID 40% of Australian students were disengaged in the classroom, leading to students falling two years behind their peers and becoming at-risk of leaving school. Through innovative technology, the Game Day program will work to strengthen the engagement of at-risk and vulnerable young people, helping them to learn, grow and belong. “Game Day encompasses our mission at The Huddle, and we are thrilled to see the concept come to life through this incredible facility, made possible through a $7.3 million investment by the Victorian State Government.” A world-class team from Spatial, MKTG and Beautiful Minds have worked to design and produce Game Day including screenplay, audio, visual, special effects and a pedagogical framework aligned to the Victorian Curriculum. Previous Next

< 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

Empower students to discover who they are, by developing an understanding of how their values and attributes shape their identity. DSC01332.jpg Screenshot 2024-01-25 at 10.56.53 am.png DSC01341.jpg DSC01332.jpg 1/8 True North workshops empower young people to discover who they are. Participants reflect upon and share their story, developing an understanding of how their values and attributes shape their identity and future pathways. Teachers at schools in the North Melbourne and Wyndham areas in Levels 5-12 can engage The Huddle to facilitate workshops for their students. True North comprises of two packages: 'Our' True North & 'My' True North. ‘My’ True North is a transformative program that empowers students to cultivate their intrapersonal skills, equipping them with skills to navigate challenges, embrace change, and foster a growth mindset. Students partake in these workshops: - Grit - Values - Mindset - Identity - The Happiness Lab ‘Our’ True North is designed to empower students by nurturing their collaborative abilities and fostering empathy with their classmates. Students partake in these workshops: - Connections - Emotional Intelligence - Understanding Others - Teamwork - Leadership FIND OUT MORE The True North program was able to give me the confidence to better understand those around me, but more importantly myself. I loved being involved and it was so much fun Ivan, True North participant Previous Next

< Back Huddle trio honoured for services to the community Fred Alale AM, Yasseen Musa OAM, and Gary Lee OAM have been recognised in this year’s Australia Day Honours List, for significant service to the multicultural communities of Victoria North Media Previous Next

Comprehensive learning program featuring a board game and curriculum that motivates students to learn fundamental maths skills through the game of basketball. Thomas with MH game.jpg 2019 Nationals_1.jpg Philosophy_New.jpg Thomas with MH game.jpg 1/5 NBA Math Hoops is an online and in-person board game and curriculum, aligned to the Victorian and Australian Curriculum, that engages students across Levels 4-7 in fundamental mathematics through the game of basketball. To view a video on NBA Math Hoops, click here . FIND OUT MORE I would definitely recommend NBA Math Hoops both in the school setting but also at home. I had the chance to play it with younger students who were just as keen as the Year 5 students and willing to have a go at multiplication with hands-on materials to help. Great game and great lessons. Mel - Classroom Teacher, Torquay College Previous Next

< Back The Grange P-12 students visit The Huddle: A day of sports and learning Joshua Raymer 7 Aug 2024 An exciting day of sports and learning! On August 5 and 6, a lucky group of sports science students from Years 4, 5, and 6 at The Grange P-12 visited The Huddle for an exciting experience. The students took part in The Huddle's Game Day and True North programs, where they enjoyed a day full of sport-themed STEM and personal development activities. One special highlight of the visits was when students were able to meet North Melbourne AFLW players during their club photo shoot, which made the day even more memorable. "My favourite part about today was when we got to work with new people and celebrate success." - Student, The Grange This visit was particularly meaningful, as the students travelled a long way from Hoppers Crossing to North Melbourne. The visit illustrated the strong relationship between The Huddle and The Grange, as The Grange has already been involved in events like the North Melbourne Community Camp and completed several True North modules in previous years. Thanks to the resounding success of this visit, The Grange will continue to participate in addition Huddle programs such as GOAL! and NBA Math Hoops . "It's been awesome to see the kids working together in teams and just working on different skills in a different environment outside the classroom which has been really nice." - Teacher, The Grange The visit not only showcased the power of sport in bringing people together, but it also highlighted the commitment of both The Huddle and The Grange in fostering positive, impactful experiences for young students to help them learn, grow, and belong. Previous Next

< Back Social cohesion through education Emma Kearney and Em O'Halloran 27 Sept 2022 School communities across North Melbourne and Wyndham are diverse in all dimensions, and this presents both challenges and opportunities School communities across North Melbourne and Wyndham are diverse in all dimensions, and this presents both challenges and opportunities. Teachers and school staff recognise the vital importance of positive interpersonal relationships between students and staff, a sense of belonging and worth, and group solidarity. However, schools are often restricted in their ability to design, implement and evaluate learning programs that focus on belonging, equity, trust, worth, and resilience. The Department of Education and Training has partnered with The Huddle since 2019 to enhance social cohesion through community-led delivery of tailored activities with partner schools to promote participation, belonging, equity, trust, and resilience in school communities. This project is called Social Cohesion Through Education (SCTE). Since 2019, The Huddle has worked with more than 30 schools (including primary, secondary, and combined schools) as part of the SCTE project funded by DET. Early conversations with school administration and teachers indicated that there was a strong desire for pre-prepared learning programs that were focused on students’ holistic development and student empowerment, were aligned to the curriculum, and are highly engaging. The Huddle team co-designed SCTE initiatives, True North and Voice Your Voice, with teachers and students as an outcome of these consultations. True North is a series of personal development workshops aligned to the Victorian Curriculum – Capabilities framework, have been delivered in nine schools to participants across 2022 as part of the SCTE project. Consistently, teachers and student comment on the significant impact of True North workshops because students are given the space and time to explore concepts such as emotional intelligence, happiness, grit, mindset, values, identity, culture, teamwork, leadership and their awareness of self, and others. The Voice Your Voice program has inspired, built confidence, and encouraged societal engagement of the 393 students who participated in 2022. Students explored social issues, identified and practised ways to advocate and prototype ideas, and then collaborate to create an advocacy campaign about a topic important to them. For many schools, True North and Voice Your Voice has become an integral part of the yearly learning sequence. St Andrew’s Primary School is one such school. True North has been delivered to every Grade 6 cohort since 2019. In 2022, the grade 6 cohort completed Voice Your Voice as a student-led project to provide students with an authentic opportunity to utilise and build upon the skills and understanding they acquired from True North. Evaluation data from St Andrews Primary School students consistently indicate that students find both initiatives fun and memorable, with comments often expressing appreciation for the opportunity to learn deeply about their self, identity and culture and build upon their awareness of others, whilst testing new vocabulary and skills. I find True North and Voice Your Voice awesome because we are not just learning reading and writing, we are learning about things like racism, homophobia, and other things in life, like my leadership and my values that I will need later. I also love the way that Emma and Josh teach as it's inclusive and I always have fun where they are teaching me and my peers. - Year 6 St Andrews student Wyndham Central College is another school that has incorporated SCTE initiatives into its yearly program. Both schools used True North workshops facilitated online in 2020 and 2021 to engage and support students during remote learning throughout COVID lockdowns. I have learnt so much about my own identity and have a greater understanding of the students in the program. The Huddle’s activities have opened my eyes to the possibilities of how my teaching practices can be improved. - Troy West – Teacher at Wyndham Central College This year the “Young Mob” at Wyndham Central College created student-led media campaigns as part of the Voice Your Voice project. Teacher consultations across 2022 indicate that True North and Voice Your Voice are achieving their objectives in terms of student growth and development, alignment to curriculum and enhancing social cohesion within classrooms but also having an impact on teachers as well. Since The Huddle has delivered True North and Voice Your Voice in our school, I have seen a huge benefit for myself and the students. Both programs are a much-anticipated event for Year 6s at St Andrew's Primary School. Attendance is highest on a Thursday as the children do not want to miss the workshops delivered by The Huddle. It is excellent preparation for secondary school, providing skills and techniques for dealing with everyday problems within the real world. The activities which build teamwork are excellent, there is rich dialogue and shared strategies on how to solve problems using true collaboration. The activities the students undertake with The Huddle have inspired me to think creatively as to how I can better engage the student in the class, particularly those with different learning needs. - Anne-Marie – Year 6 teacher at St Andrew's Previous Next

< Back Sights and sounds of the Future Roos clinic Previous Next

< Back A reflection on NBA Math Hoops Thomas O’Halloran – 5/6 Teacher at Moreland Primary School 5 Sept 2022 A fun and memorable way to engage the whole class in mathematical learning As a teacher, I have no doubt that effective teaching has the most significant impact on student learning outside influences in the home. However, effective teaching takes time and investment. The 2021 Grattan survey reports that 92% of teachers frequently feel that they do not have enough time to prepare for effective teaching. I am one of those teachers, spending endless unpaid hours planning each week to ensure I am delivering effective and engaging lessons. I am always on the hunt for fun and memorable learning resources, especially the lessons that capture the minds and hearts of the students. They must be easy to implement and enable me to work smarter - not harder. So, when I saw the Huddle promoting NBA Math Hoops, a board game that promised to leverage sport in the classroom to maximise student engagement, I was open to giving it a go. As a sports and maths fan, I immediately recognised the power of a board game that leverages basketball to engage students in mathematics. After completing the teacher training (thankfully, a painless, super-informative online 90-minute workshop), I was impressed by the game's potential to shift the mindset of students who consider themselves to be 'bad at maths'. While initially excited, it wasn't until I received the FREE class set that I was blown away by the high quality of the board game. The game was fun, colourful, and the player cards were attention-grabbing. I also recently found out that Hasbro, the creators of Monopoly, are also the creators of NBA Math Hoops. The NBA Math Hoops game formula is simple in its utilisation of “the four C’s”. Students must collaborate, communicate, think critically and creatively to win. The in-school NBA Math Hoops draft was pure chaotic bliss. Students were scrambling to review player cards, deciphering statistics, using multiplicative thinking, debating player selection with peers, and justifying their decisions. It is always wonderful to watch students practising the skills that will equip them to navigate and thrive in our ever-changing world. I love how the game establishes intrinsic motivation in students to build upon and use their mathematical knowledge. The associated lesson plans effectively scaffold students to practice the relevant mathematical skill while gradually layering the game rules. This means that I didn’t have to be the game expert, and what's more, I liked that I could adapt the rules to support or challenge every student in my class. To sum up my experience, NBA Math Hoops was a series of wonderful surprises. While compiling the semester reports, I was astonished by how many students referenced NBA Math Hoops in their reflective comments, many describing the game as a fun way to learn maths - even students who declare themselves as ‘bad at maths’. Like sneaking vegetables into a pasta sauce, NBA Math Hoops is stealth learning! I would highly recommend the board game and accompanying resources to any educator looking for a way to engage their whole class in mathematical learning, whilst offering a fun and memorable experience that will be a highlight of the school year. To find out more about NBA Math Hoops, please click here Previous Next

< Back Game Day Featuring special guests Luke Davies-Uniacke and Mia King Previous Next

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

< Back Winter 23' Huddle Holidays Previous Next