What I got out of volunteering at the Homeless World Cup
Posted by Thomson Financial - 01/10/2007
To be honest, I applied to join the Thomson Financial team at this year’s Homeless World Cup because it was an opportunity to visit Copenhagen, somewhere I’d never been before. Once I got there though, and began to understand more about the Homeless World Cup and what it achieves, being in Copenhagen became secondary to me; I felt honored to be a part of the team and wanted to use my time there doing as much as possible to help. Damaris Sanders reports....
Some people ask, what good does it do, putting on a football tournament for homeless people? Wouldn’t it be better to provide them with somewhere to live? From talking to the players in Copenhagen though, I realized that homelessness isn’t the problem, it’s a symptom – homelessness comes about because of other issues – isolation, abuse, lack of education, low self-esteem, alcohol and drug addiction. These are the issues that the Homeless World Cup really tackles, and by doing so, really makes a difference, really changes lives.
The players you see competing at the HWC are just the tip of the iceberg – they have been selected from many homeless people involved in street soccer projects all over the world. Through their involvement in these projects, the homeless are able to develop a sense of belonging and self-worth, become motivated, educated and self-confident, give up drugs and alcohol, get homes of their own, and jobs.
Aaron Ridding from Melbourne, Australia is just 22 but had already lived on the street for four years, before joining the football project. He’s since moved into a hostel and from there into his own “unit” home, and is now part of a team visiting schools to teach kids about street soccer and talk to them about homelessness. Ronnie Miller from the USA, homeless for a year before getting involved with street soccer, also now has a job and home, and says he’s learned through the football project that “you have to remain determined and keep going no matter what.”
I have many wonderful and lasting memories from my time at the Homeless World Cup. It was quite something to see all the players in their national strips proudly trooping up and down the busy Hans Christian Andersen Boulevard main street of Copenhagen, between football pitches and players lounge. Meeting the Indians was particularly special for me, as the project which created the Indian team began in Nagpur, which is also the birthplace of my grandmother. I’m also really glad that I got to meet and get to know TF colleagues from other parts of the business and other countries.
I very much hope that TF will continue to support the Homeless World Cup, and that many more of us will get to participate in future years.
