Soccer for the Homeless Programme in Finland continues to flourish
Posted by Finland - 13/05/2008
The soccer programme launched in early 2006 for Finland’s homeless community has experienced rapid growth during the past two years. Over 90% of the people taking part in the programme say they have gained fresh motivation in their daily life, e.g. through new social contacts. The Government, too, has recognised the achievements of this programme; Finland’s Minister for Culture and Sports, Stefan Wallin, has mentioned the Soccer for the Homeless Programme as an excellent example of a positive sport-related projects embodying communal responsibility.
Year-round activity
This winter has been the programme’s first winter-activity part being implemented with Southern Finland and Central Finland divisions. The participating teams are from seven different cities; Espoo, Helsinki, Hyvinkää, Kisko, Tampere, Turku, and Rauma. Southern Finland Division’s first tournament was played on Friday, January 25, at Laaksolahti soccer hall and the Central Finland Division kicked off on Sunday, January 27, in Rauma. Each team has been visited by a special motivation and coaching team during the winter. This team includes people such as veteran homeless soccer player Ari Huldén and coach Iiro Koivula.
Goals for the 2008 season
The Finnish Championship Soccer for the Homeless Tournament due to be held on Saturday, May 17, in Rauma is expected to attract ten teams, the most recent ones being from Jyväskylä and Kuopio. The culmination point for this year’s Soccer for the Homeless Programme is the 6th World Championship Tournament to be held in Melbourne, Australia, in early December. The Finnish team’s coaching group will be and has been assessing players throughout the year with the purpose of selecting players for Melbourne, and so players are advised to keep on putting their best foot forward.
Now on the Internet as well
The Soccer for the Homeless Programme in Finland now also has its own website. See http://www.streetsoccer.fi for match results, team contact details plus other associated information. For now most of the information on our website is in finnish - we are continuing to translate more information in english, as well.
National team organization
Finland’s National Team for Homeless Soccer Players is coordinated by the 09 Helsinki Human Rights –foundation (http://www.09hhr.fi). The organization of the Finland’s National Team for Homeless Soccer Players in year 2008 is:
- Executive Director, mr. Mikko Ihalainen (09 Helsinki Human Rights) - Team Coordinator, mr. Juha-Pekka Strömberg (Helsinki Deaconess Institute) - Head Coach, mr. Timo Liekoski (Football Association of Finland) - Coach, mr. Iiro Koivula (Rauman seudun katulahetys) - Team Leader, mr. Maurizio Pratesi (Football Association of Finland)
