StreetSoccer is an innovative homeless football project that has been up and running since October 2005. Currently spanning across 3 boroughs of Greater Manchester, 40-50 homeless men regularly attend the weekly coaching sessions. We partner with a number of organizations throughout Greater Manchester to make these projects possible including, Barnabus, Ambassadors in Sport, Loaves and Fishes, Urban Outreach, and St Luke’s as well as 20 extremely committed volunteers representing a number of local churches.
Street Soccer is a football project, not a football club, and we meet on a weekly basis to play football together, participate in tournaments, and go out on day trips. The project is effectively a rehabilitation programme, which is why we look to link in with professional organizations to help the guys with their ‘Life Chances’ such as housing, education, training opportunities and employment. Everything we do, from the facilities and equipment we use, to the sessions that are conducted, are performed with ‘excellence’ which is why we have a number of UEFA ‘B’ licence coaches involved.
The guys have competed in a number of 5-a-side and 11-a-side competitions and have won 2 trophies so far! As well as the physical benefits, they have learned skills such as punctuality, discipline, respect for each other, their opponents and referees! These are skills that can be applied to life generally. A common issue is how to deal with anger, so we try to be wise and implement certain boundaries to help many of the young men who have a blurred view of right and wrong. This is not easy but is certainly beneficial for the guys.
Many relationships are at a level where trust and respect has been earned which has lead to the volunteers proactively spending time with the guys throughout the week, meeting up to disciple one another and taking them along to their house groups. We have recently had the privilege of our volunteers leading 2 men to the Lord, and they both now actively attend a local church!
We’re really encouraged by the interest levels that the homeless men have to come along to evangelistic events (most recently at Kings Church Manchester) where the gospel message is presented in a credible form, pitched at a level that the guys can relate to. These events complement the ongoing contact we have with them and opportunities that our volunteers take advantage of in demonstrating just how much God loves them through a variety of forms.
In terms of the environment we operate within, we try to create a sense of community, like a family in order for them to feel a part of something special and significant where we help each other out and meet each others needs. We’re trying to replicate as near as is humanly possible being Jesus to these guys as this speaks volumes to them as we seek to welcome them into the kingdom of God.
The Street Soccer project really does seem to be catching peoples imagination, and even the professional football world! In September 2007, the Bolton project had a visit from Heidar Helgusson, a Bolton Wanderers player and Icelandic international which was a tremendous boost and encouragement to the guys.
We have been fortunate enough to have an open door into Forest Bank prison where we visit on a fortnightly basis. This is a massive opportunity for us as no other groups go into the prison in a sporting capacity. The visits have a profound impact on the guys we take in (some of whom were Forest Bank inmates) as they choose to go in and leave as free men. Also, the visits create an opportunity to promote the work of Street Soccer so the inmates can potentially become a part of the project when they are released.