About Street Footy «

About Street Footy

What we do

Street Football Aotearoa is a network of football projects across New Zealand.

We provide opportunities for fitness and football training for homeless and socially marginalised people.

We also aim to provide financial support for selected players to represent New Zealand at international Homeless World Cup tournaments.

Who we target

Street football training sessions are targeted to both men and women who are:

Over 16 and
Living in temporary accommodation (eg. night shelters, hostels, boarding houses, sleeping on a couch) or
Part of substance misuse rehabilitation programmes or
Rough sleepers or
Street drinkers

Players range from 17 to 65 years and approximately 60% are Māori. Most have experienced significant disadvantage in their lives and face a number of challenges including experience of trauma, mental illness, head injury, gambling, drug and alcohol issues, poverty, and isolation. Both national and international research shows a strong link between homelessness, poor housing, and high levels of both physical and mental ill health.

Where we train

Currently we reach about 100 people each week through training sessions in:

Auckland – with Lifewise and The Salvation Army Epsom Lodge
Christchurch – with Christchurch City Mission
Dunedin – with PACT and Dunedin Night Shelter Trust
Wellington – with Downtown Community Ministry and Sportzone

Thanks to the amazing Dion (of the amazingtravellingphotobooth) for these shots.

Homelessness and football?

Football training may seem an unusual way to address homelessness, but it works.

Involvement in the football programme has helped players to engage positively with support to maintain housing and break the negative cycle of homelessness, substance use, and offending.

Football does not necessarily provide a focused homelessness intervention but provides an alternative to traditional agency/client relationships. Peer support plays a major role, as does the opportunity to interact on equal footing. The focus on ‘fun, fitness and friendship’ moves away from the person’s situation towards building on strengths, making connections, and being part of a team.

Our vision is to develop an extensive network of projects so that a great number of socially excluded New Zealanders have the opportunity to play sport and enjoy its physical, psychological, and social benefits.

Newsletters

Find out about what we’re up to by clicking on the Street Football Aotearoa Newsletter images below: