Helping students become confident and connected.
HAD in Schools creates space for students to grow in confidence and connection through peer mentoring and physical activity, supporting their social and emotional wellbeing every step of the way.
Our Story
Founder of HAD Football and Birmingham Primary School parent, Brad Jenkinson, noticed that some students were arriving at school dysregulated - carrying energy, frustration, or tension that made it difficult to start the day well.
By offering an outlet like kicking a footy or shooting hoops, Brad helped redirect that energy into something more productive, creating space for connection, calm, and a better start to the day.
From there, the simple effort to support students grew into a structured, relationship-based mentoring model, HAD In Schools, anchored in movement, trust, and meaningful conversation - that now runs weekly across schools throughout Melbourne.
Interested in learning more about the HAD In Schools Program?
Connection. Movement. Mentorship.
Sitting at the intersection of youth well-being, sport-based engagement, and mentoring, our program offers a "light-touch intervention" designed to reach a broad base of students, particularly those who may not engage with traditional support settings.
Program Overview
Program Focus
HAD in Schools isn’t just about football. Our sessions use a wide range of low-intensity physical activities — from movement games and coordination challenges to team-based exercises — ensuring every student can participate and benefit, regardless of sporting background or ability. Each session blends movement with guided discussion and reflection to support:
Confidence and self-esteem through achievable movement-based challenges
Social and emotional learning through group conversation and teamwork
Connection and belonging through positive peer and mentor relationships
Delivered in collaboration with each school’s wellbeing and teaching staff, HAD in Schools complements existing support systems - offering a light-touch, high-impact way to reach a broad base of students who benefit from additional encouragement and connection and those who may not engage with traditional support settings.
Mentors
Our mentors are carefully selected and trained.
Their youth, shared lived experiences, and high-level sporting achievements create aspirational and relatable connections for the students.
This aspirational connection not only forms a powerful platform for positive influence, but is enhanced by our mentors individual characters and genuine ability to connect with young people.
They connect naturally with students, offering a relatable voice and positive example of persistence, respect, and self-belief.
Through their stories and guidance, mentors become trusted role models who help students see what’s possible - both on and off the field.
If your school could benefit from role models like these, get in touch with our team today.
Common Program Structure
Each week HAD mentors:
Meet with small groups of up to three students
Engaging 30–60 minute sessions (depending on school schedule).
To allow authentic connections to form and outcomes to be achieved, the programs typically:
Run across all four school terms
Minimum of five consecutive weeks