The Big Issue

900 volunteers receive their training

900 volunteers received training for their role at the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup last week. The three-hour sessions covered a huge amount of information including an introduction to the Operations team and their roles and what to expect from a Homeless World Cup. After the general introduction the volunteers broke away into smaller role specific training groups. The training sessions were run at Melbourne University where we were able to take full advantage of the lecture theatres made available to us.

George Halkias, the Australian national coach, advised everyone that the tournament would prove addictive; and that when this is over they’d be booking their tickets to Milan 2009. He also introduced some of the Street Socceroos, who modeled the staff uniform and led the audience in a rousing rendition of the Street Socceroos’ anthem.

Before they left all volunteers were kitted out with their uniforms  We hope they all feel well and truly part of the team now.

One volunteer commented that this was something of a reunion for many of them, “some of us are like volunteer groupies; we last met up at the Commonwealth Games”

Many of our volunteers come from Rotary groups, some are students wanting to get real hands-on experience; many are retired, looking to share their experience; some are back-packers on a gap year hoping to get stories to top all stories when they get back home.

We are incredibly thankful to all our volunteers; they are a resource beyond price, without whom we wouldn’t have got even this far!

By the way, the Street Socceroos’ Anthem, sung win, loose or draw after every match is Waltzing Matilda, with a slight change of words:

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda,

You’ll come a waltzing Matilda with me,

As we played and we sang in the spirit of the Socceroos,

You’ll come a waltzing Matilda with me.

(Photo shows Sam Blackstone, Chief Operations Officer demonstrating her ball skills with Street Socceroos Steve and Sharron and a volunteer. Michael Brown - Photoworx)