“I didn’t know anyone at all. I was lonely, and it was so much quieter than what I was used to.”

It’s a powerful and all too common scenario for many that leave their places of birth, in search for a new start or different opportunities from life.

For Shivam Nawani, when he left India for Australia in 2015. he struggled to find that sense of belonging.

“As I began to get used to Melbourne I made some friends, but it was nothing like back home”, he admits.

Nawani, now 26, moved to Melbourne to complete his Masters of Business in Sport Management and took some time to feel at home.

When he joined the Box Hill North Cricket Club however, he realised just how significant the power of sport could be, and it changed his life for the better.

“It’s here that I found a family away from family,” Nawani said.

“Sport helped me truly become a part of the community. I’ve met so many wonderful people and I’ve never felt more at home.”

Nawani’s passion for sport and its role in bringing people together prompted him to reach out to the North Melbourne Football Club. Initially looking for employment, he was immediately drawn to the club’s award winning not-for-profit arm, The Huddle, and made enquiries about getting involved.

Before long, he realised he’d found his calling at the life-changing Arden St facility.

“I fully understand where a lot of these kids that The Huddle works with are coming from,” Nawani explained.

“Many are second or first generation Australian, and I know how hard it is to feel welcome in a new place. For me sport is the perfect medium to enhance social inclusion.”

Nawani began volunteering with The Huddle, using sport to facilitate learning, growth, and belonging within the community.

“If volunteering twice a week can help some of these kids feel like they belong, I’ll do it,” he declared.

“I want to contribute in whatever way I can to build a more inclusive community.”

Nawani volunteers at The Huddle’s Kangas First Kick program in Ascot Vale and Flemington.

Find out more about The Huddle and its programs