It was a chilly day in Melbourne last Sunday, but with warm smiles and unyielding energy, players and spectators united for The Big Issue Street Soccer National Championships.

Teams flew from across the country to Melbourne for a two-day training camp on the Mornington Peninsula which was followed by the Championships at the Waterfront City Piazza in Melbourne’s new Docklands precinct.

The festivities kicked off bright and early with a schools tournament and corporate cup. Students from ten schools/youth groups and staff from our corporate sponsors took up street soccer energetically and there was a strong sense of community as matches were played in the two giant inflatable pitches. Players and spectators enjoyed a lunch time sausage sizzle, but when the state battle lines were drawn for the afternoon championships the day really heated up.

Six teams from New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria Metro and Victoria Regional were competing for the national title, and with players also vying for a place in the national team to represent Australia at the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup, the stakes were high.

The Championships were opened by the Commonwealth Minister for Youth and Sport, the Hon. Kate Ellis.

“The Australian Government is proud to support The Big Issue and the Street Soccer program,” Ms Ellis said.

“Soccer has a remarkable ability to bring people together and break down social and cultural barriers. Sport also helps with the development of good physical and mental health, promotes team work and helps to build self-confidence in individuals, which is why the Government actively supports initiatives like Community Street Soccer.”

The national anthem that followed was sung with gusto! And like every great sporting event, there was pride in the players’ eyes as they sang their hearts out. And then it was down to business.

The round robin style tournament showcased the players’ passion and determination, with plenty of competitive play and great sportsmanship. The day culminated with an epic Grand Final between the newly formed New South Wales team and veterans, Victoria Metro.

NSW Coach, Robert Neligan said the atmosphere was electric during the final, “the school kids, spectators and all the other teams were watching. And there was music playing, live commentary and a real buzz in the air.”

Despite the home ground advantage, the Victorian Metro team went down 5-8 in a close match.

Mr Neligan, said the NSW team were over the moon with the victory!

“The atmosphere at the championships was absolutely unbelievable. Players from all the state teams were supportive and cheering during the medal presentations with Melbourne’s Lord Mayor John So.

Photos by Michael Brown of Photoworx

In June, Politicians joined in celebrating a big milestone: In South Australia, 250,000 copies of The Big Issue sold by over 500 vendors!

South Australia Politicians Natasha Stott Despoja, Dana Wortley, Nick Xenophon, Cory Bernardi and Sarah Hanson-Young donned The Big Issue uniform and became Big Issue vendors for the afternoon.

After receiving basic training, the senators stood on regular Big Issue pitches on Grenfell Street, Rundle Street and Rundle Mall to try their hand at selling The Big Issue magazine.

In South Australia, around 40 authorised vendors sell more than 2500 editions a fortnight at 40 sites around Adelaide, Mt. Barker and Whyalla.

Long-time vendor David Norman said: “It’s changed my life completely. It’s helped me come out of my shell and improved my communication skills. It helps me keep my mind off my problems and focused on my next steps forward.”

Senator Cory Bernardi. said “Selling 250,000 copies is a great achievement for any publication. Every copy has not just benefited the readers, but has introduced micro-enterprise on a national scale, helping people to help themselves and change their lives”.

Edition 308

Step aside Brad and Orlando: Scotland’s pale but hunky James McAvoy is
film’s man of the moment.

Also in this issue:

‘Life in Limbo’: Does the Rudd Government mean new hope, or more
frustration, for asylum seekers? Andra Jackson finds out; and Dan Rule talks
to the Dandy Warhols’ Peter Holmström about being dropped by their record
label in ‘A New Orbit’.

Our ‘Vendor Profile’ for this edition is Grant from Canberra. We also have
‘Streetsheet’ contributions from Daniel K from Norwood, SA, Campbell from
Sydney and Melbourne’s Owen D, as well as an illustration by the Melbourne
vendor known as askems911.

Edition 307

Australian writer Chloe Hooper talks to Jo Case about her first non-fiction book, The Tall Man: an intimate investigation into the death in custody that shook Palm Island.

Also in this issue:

‘The Lambs in Winter’: Michael Green discovers that winter rain, as well as drought, can devastate farmers, and Anthony Morris talks to Judy Craymer, the woman behind Mamma Mia! – the movie and musical – in ‘The Winner Takes it All’.

Our ‘Vendor Profile’ for this edition is Colene from Perth. We also have ‘Streetsheet’ contributions from John E from Brisbane, Alaric G from Adelaide, and Melbourne’s Salvatore Privitera and Pam S, as well as a photo of Adelaide vendor Barry and Natasha Stott Despoja selling The Big Issue.

Watch Alan Attwood introduce this edition at the fortnightly vendors’ bbq breakfast.

The Big Issue street soccer players around Australia will be staying warm this winter with their new green and gold street socceroo beanies.

Knit One Give One (Kogo) is a community program who’s volunteers have been knitting beanies and scarves for the most vulnerable in the community since 2004. In 2007 Kogo knitted and distributed over 6000 garments and this year plan to break their record.

This year as well as distributing garments to disadvantaged families and those experiencing homelessness, they are putting their green and gold yarn to players of the street soccer program.

Ros Roger, Kogo founder, said the hand knitted garments are not only to keep those disadvantaged warm in the winter.

“Our hand knitted garments not only provide physical warmth but also emotional warmth. The beanies, scarves and other knitted items that we give to these groups show that the community cares,” said Ros.

Get knitting for the street socceroos!

Download knitting patterns and find out more: www.knitonegiveone.org

On Sunday 20 July from 1pm - 5pm at the Docklands, Melbourne, The Big Issue will be presenting the Street Soccer National Championships. The day kicks off at 9am with a school tournament and corporate cup, followed by the Street Soccer National Championships at 1pm.

Players from Australia-wide Community Street Soccer Programs will be arriving in Melbourne for the tournament. As well as the chance to demonstrate their skill, passion and commitment to changing their lives, players will be vying for a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent Australia at the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup

Come on down to this free event and support grassroots sports at it finest!

Sunday 20 July 9am - 5pm

Waterfront City Piazza, Docklands Melbourne,

For more information contact HWCmedia@bigissue.org.au

Find out more about the Homeless World Cup

31 of Victoria’s Street Soccer players and 10 staff and volunteers got together in Warburton for a weekend of drills, match practice and competition. The teams represented were Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo and the women’s team in Melbourne. Melbourne were proud winners of the State Championships on Sunday.

The weekend was supported by Rotary Southbank who were involved in so many ways; not only funding the weekend; but providing the players with toiletries, towels and T-shirts; organising meals, sleeping arrangements and a trivia night. 12 rotarians came along and participated in all the activities over the weekend, including a winning match against The Big Issue staff.

The weekend was a fantastic team building experience for all people involved.

Much thanks to Rotary Southbank for helping us make this happen, also to Wesley Mission who donated toiletries, towels, blankets and T-shirts to all the participants.

The Brisbane street socceroos have moved to a new pitch, relocating to new farm Park in Brunswick Street, New Farm.

“It’s like playing soccer at the Sheraton!” said Queensland’s street soccer coordinator, Susie Edwards.

Shane, a Brisbane-based player that went to the Cape Town 2006 Homeless World Cup with the Big Issue’s Aussie Street Socceroos said: “New Farm Park is a great to place to train.”

“The quality of the field is a lot softer under the feet and the facilities are a lot better. It is unusual to be playing on a proper field - the grass is taking a little time to get used to compared to our previous training field where there was always glass and debris to get around. And we don’t have to play around holes in the field anymore.”

After state selection in July, the team will compete in the national championships to be held at Melbourne’s Docklands on July 20.

From the national championships, a squad will be announced for the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup, to be held at Federation Square and Birrarung Marr on December 1-7.

In Australia, weekly training offers people who have experienced homelessness, substance abuse or disadvantage, the opportunity to get fit, make new friends and seek support and advice. Support staff also work closely with players, linking them to services that address their homelessness, substance abuse, family breakdown, grief and loss and mental illness.

Community Street Soccer values participation – and the benefits this brings - over football skills and scoreboard competition. It fosters inclusiveness, commitment, selflessness and team spirit – all directed towards improving the individual’s physical and psychological lifestyle and wellbeing.

A team of four Melbourne primary school students has finished third in a prestigious international community problem solving competition with their project to assist players in the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup.

The year six students from Melbourne Grammar’s coeducational primary school, Grimwade House, took out third place at the finals held last weekend in Michigan, USA, with their presentation on homelessness, including welcome kits which they will supply to around 500 players from around the world arriving in Melbourne for the Homeless World Cup on December 1-7.

The welcome kits will contain free passes to Melbourne attractions such as the MCG, playing cards, sunscreen, information about Melbourne and the city’s public transport system, motivational books, hats, water bottles, snacks, footballs, Australian pens and stickers, postcards and koala clip-on souvenirs.

The International Future Problem Solving Program is regarded as one of the most prestigious and challenging thinking skills programs offered to students. It teaches team-work and problem solving skills and encourages students to become involved in social issue of today and the future.

The team of James Little, Marine Gutton, Michael Zeng, all 11 years old, and Lachlan Fong, 12, received 100 per cent marks for their interview with two judges, with the judges reportedly “blown away” with the children’s knowledge, confidence and passion for their project on homelessness.

They also received a perfect score for their folio of documentation on the project.

“Our project really was a global project and so we had a lot of interest from people from all around the world, many of whom had  never heard of the Homeless World Cup,” said James Little.

“But once they did, they were genuinely interested in the welcome packs we were making and the problems we had to solve to make this happen.”

“The feedback we got from people was that they really liked the project and thought it was a good way for younger children to make a difference in the world,” said Lachlan Fong.

“We hoped that our project would raise awareness about homelessness.”

Coach Glyn Howitt, Assistant Head (Curriculum) at Grimwade House “could not have been prouder” of her students.

“The Melbourne Grammar students displayed an impressive amount of dedication, team collaboration and knowledge throughout the four days of the international conference and left a very positive impression in the memories of the judges, other teams and coaches from across the world,” Howitt said.

The winning project was on pirates, by Palm Beach Elementary School in Palm Bay, Florida, USA.

The students won the right to represent Australia after beating over 400 top problem-solvers from all Australian states, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore at the regional finals in Perth in October last year.

The team of then five Year 5 students from won the Junior Division of Community Problem Solving for their project supporting the Aussie Street Socceroos in the lead-up to the 2007 Homeless World Cup in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The International Future Problem Solving Program has been running for more than 30 years with approximately 250,000 students from around the world participating annually. In Australia, the program attracts 5,000 participants each year.

For further information contact:
Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup
Sandra del Monaco
sdmonaco@bigissue.org.au

Peter sells The Big Issue at the corner of Ann and Albert streets in Brisbane.

Many people already know him as Peter, the well-spoken vendor always ready to lend a sympathetic ear and offer some considered advice. But for the many thousands of ham radio operators around the world he is VK4VY. Peter got his radio licence in 1983 and has been connecting with people from Libya to Russia ever since.

“We use Greenwich mean time to arrange to meet on certain frequencies,” says Peter. “And although it’s great chatting to people from other countries, ham radio also has a serious side. We assist with communication during disasters. I spent nine years doing volunteer rescue work over the radio, helping people who are isolated by distance.” In addition to his proficiency with the radio, Peter can also hold a full conversation in morse code.

He credits a visual impairment with giving him the selective hearing skills that make him such a good listener. Peter was born with no vision. When he was six months old, however, an operation restored 5% of his sight. “I really work that 5%,” he jokes. “I identify people by colours and clothing and, of course, voice. “Colour perception is very important when handling money, which is why I don’t work much at night.”

Peter usually works about three days a week, selling The Big Issue to customers who he wants to thank for their “courtesy, generosity and friendliness. The bulk of my sales are to regulars. Occasionally someone gets the wrong idea – maybe it’s the white cane – and tries to give me a donation. But I feel uncomfortable unless I can give them something in return.”

Peter grew up in a family in which both parents were visually impaired. During the 1970s he went to the only school for the blind in Queensland. He remembers one teacher telling him he would always be on the fringes of society. “I laugh at that now, as I live on the outskirts of Brisbane near the bay,” he says.

Sadly, Peter did spend a large part of his life isolated from mainstream society, but not because of his vision. When he was just three years old, his family joined a religious cult founded by an American car salesman. “Since I left, 12 years ago, I have had to rebuild my life,” he says. “Living in such a rigid, authoritarian environment delayed my maturity and I have had to heal from the emotional damage from years of brainwashing and abuse.”

Peter is now confident he has found a path to renewed self-awareness through a technique that promotes the body’s own healing mechanisms. He is studying the technique and hopes to make a career out of it. “I’d like to work alongside other natural therapy practitioners and help people through traumatic events such as war, divorce and bereavement,” he says.

Technology has always played a major role in Peter’s life. He studies online –using voice-recognition software, among other things – and, as he stands to leave, he checks his 25-year-old talking clock. Why? To ensure he’s on time for his next chat with his two-way radio buddies.

by Judy Johnson photograph by Paul Giggle