With COVID-19 restrictions enforced across Melbourne, the school holidays looked a little bit different for many families, but The Huddle worked overtime to ensure the community still had plenty to talk about.

Following the first week of face-to-face physically distanced programs, The Huddle staff and volunteers came together, taking several programs online in a safe and inclusive environment.

With a focus on fostering social connections and pushing youths out of their comfort zones, there were numerous FREE programs on offer. such as a song writing session, Masterchef Bakeoff, Fizzics show, ice skating and hockey, Lost Dogs Home tour, scavenger hunt and Groove Therapy sessions.  

Groove Therapy, an online dance session, provided a fun and exciting way to keep participants active while staying at home.

“The Groove Therapy session was my absolute favourite,” participant Ava said.

“Learning all those dance moves was so much fun and I really enjoyed the other activities like the magic and science show that I took part in. The variety of things was really fun.”

Ava’s Father Marco took the time to thank The Huddle staff and volunteers for their efforts in responding to the restriction changes and adapting the School Holiday Program so quickly.

“As a parent, it is great to come across a group of individuals helping the community and focusing on the children with sport and other fun activities to actively take part in, the fun was a great bonus,” said Marco. 

“Using Zoom was a great approach for The Huddle. The assortment of activities was fantastic, and it kept the kids looking forward to the next activity. Some great fun was had at home.”

The Huddle would like to thank all its staff and volunteers for their efforts over the school holidays, along with organisations such as Camp Australia, KiddlyWinks and Groove Therapy who continued to provide a safe and inclusive environment to foster the development of young people.

The Huddle’s FREE School Holiday programs are designed for youth aged 8-12 with a separate itinerary for youth aged 15-18.