The Street Soccer Program

The Big Issue organises a Street Soccer Program in sites around Australia. Our players are called the Street Socceroos.

The league is mostly made up of people who have experienced homelessness or who may be in danger of falling off the rails.

Weekly street soccer training provides an event to look forward to. Coaches and team members mentor and support each other to make positive choices that can lead to secure accommodation, appropriate rehabilitation programs and other community-support networks.

We have a Street Soccer Program running in Port Phillip Prison. We aim to keep supporting these players on release, bridging the gap between life in prison and the outside world.

With the Australian Federal Government supporting with $3 million in funding, the program has been given a serious kick-along.

• Get in touch with the Street Socceroos
• Find out where your nearest Street Socceroos are playing
• Meet some of the players

The Homeless World Cup

Eight players who have demonstrated the best attitude and commitment to the program in training and at the national tournament are selected to represent Australia in the annual Homeless World Cup.

Team members are selected for their attitude, attendance and commitment to improving their lifestyle and personal circumstances – not for their soccer skills alone. Those who have represented Australia now act as ambassadors for the Street Soccer Program, recruiting and mentoring future Street Socceroos.

Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup

We play host on home turf in Melbourne from the 1st - 7th December 2008. If past experience is anything to go by, once the full-time whistle blows, on-field rivalry will turn into cross-cultural curiosity as players from diverse social and economic backgrounds get to know each other and form friendships that last much longer than the event itself.

Find out more about the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup

The Street Socceroos at school

The Street Socceroos have been conducting training sessions with pupils from Melbourne Grammar School. They shared not only their skills on the field but also their philosophy on team spirit and participation.

The Street Socceroos were paid for this work and there are plans to certify their coaching skills and roll the project out to meet the demand from other schools.

To find out more contact Felicia Welstead: felicia@bigissue.org.au.