Mustard video: New season of Street Life Soccer kicks off with some help from Norwich City’s Robert Snodgrass

Norwich City player Robert Snodgrass, centre front row, with participants of the 2013 Street Life Soccer project at the launch at Carrow Park. Picture: Denise Bradley

Mark Shields Monday, March 4, 2013
6:36 PM

The new season kicked off yesterday at a football training project which aims to improve its players’ prospects both on and off the pitch.

Street Life Soccer

Street Life Soccer was launched in August 2007, and developed with the CSF. After a successful pilot, funding was secured and 400 homeless of vulnerably housed people benefited from the project over four years.

Last year, 155 players took part in the course, with 64 of them completing a five-workshop series on money skills and money management skills run by Barclays.

Thirty-five players have moved from supported or hostel accommodation, sofa-surfing or rough sleeping into independent living while attending Street Life Soccer.

Of the 70 players who said they smoked regularly on first visit, just 28 said they were still smoking after the end of their first year on the course.

Thirty-seven players moved into employment in the first year of the course. Of them, 29 are working part-time (less than 30 hours), and eight are in full-time employment, including cleaning work, cheffing, bar and factory work.

Thirty-four sports and leadership qualifications were achieved by Street Life Soccer participants, with others passing units in personal development, physical fitness and teamwork.

The project will be funded by the Big Lottery Reaching Communities Fund for the next four years.

The new season kicked off yesterday at a football training project which aims to improve its players’ prospects both on and off the pitch.

The Street Life Soccer Project works with homeless and vulnerable adults to offer health, education and life skills support through football.

Organised by Norwich City’s charitable arm, the Community Sports Foundation, the project is made up of weekly training sessions and tournaments against groups from other clubs.

As well as learning discipline and teamwork skills, players are given guidance from other organisations on subjects like money management and health, and have the chance to gain qualifications.

NCFC football player, Robert Snodgrass, centre, chats to participants of the 2013 Street Life Soccer project at the launch, Carrow Park. Robert Armes, 25, left, and Dale Watkins, 23. Picture: Denise Bradley

Last year, in the first year of a five-year Big Lottery grant, Street Life Soccer reached more than 150 people - and organisers are hoping to help as many again in 2013.

Dan Crouch, CSF’s community cohesion officer, said: “Street Life Soccer has already helped people from vulnerable communities to achieve some fantastic outcomes and to really progress their lives.”

Marc Campbell, assistant community cohesion officer, added: “Football is a fantastic tool for people to come together and find something positive to focus on.

“Street Life Soccer provides that release and camaraderie so that participants feel part of something and their self-esteem and desire to make something of themselves improves off the back of that.”