Blake Henderson - Melbourne

In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, the world has been forced to adapt the manner in which we consume information and interact with one another.

With this in mind, the importance of effective communication has taken on a heightened significance over the past 18 months.

And a member of staff at Manchester City’s sister club, Melbourne City, has taken on a vital role in achieving exactly that.

Alongside colleague Tayna Davis and Matt McIndoe from the dedicated Melbourne City fan channel, Talking City, Blake Henderson helped to run a Cityzens for Recovery podcast during the pandemic last year.

The Podcast aimed to engage with supporters and Young Leaders from City in the Community Melbourne’s work throughout lockdown, keeping listeners informed on the latest information at the Club and the Cityzens for Recovery scheme in general.

Part of the work undertaken saw CITC Melbourne organise Homework and Breakfast Clubs for local children, providing football sessions and educational support to those in need.

Over 150 participants were benefitting from the scheme by the end of February, with work alongside the local charity, SecondBite, offering an additional source of fresh and nutritious food.

With the closure of schools, children experiencing food insecurity were at risk of losing an important lifeline, with reports indicating as many as one in five across Australia started the school day without having eaten breakfast before the onset of the pandemic.

Additionally, the clubs provided students with an opportunity to socialise, keep active and tackle their schoolwork with the support from Young Leaders in safe and secure surroundings.

The efforts of the Cityzens for Recovery podcast, which was streamed live on Twitch, YouTube and Talking City’s Facebook account, helped to raise money and awareness of this worthy cause.

“The most satisfying aspect of the work I have done was helping raise money for SecondBite and the CITC Melbourne programs,” Henderson reflected.

“Interacting with the Young Leaders and fans via fan questions that came in or just chatting with them through the  chat was also a great experience.

“Leading these podcasts has been a great experience and getting to chat to players, staff, Young Leaders and fans has improved my public speaking in front of a larger audience.”

To learn more about Cityzens Giving For Recovery visit: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/cityzens-giving-for-recovery-manchester/