Moving On

As players put in some serious training in preparation for the Homeless World Cup 2008 Jennifer May talks to three young men who have seen their lives change for the better since their participation in the Street League Program


When Ireland’s Issues decided to send a fledgling football team out to Gratz, Austria to play in the first Homeless World Cup in 2003, the organizers immediately saw the positive impact it had on the young men who took part. The enthusiasm and hard work with which the participants - most of who were caught in the hopeless cycle of homelessness - embraced the training regime and the positive effects that were immediately visible, convinced the organizers that a year round street league was crucial to offering these young people the support and the ‘hand-up’ they needed.
Homelessness, long term unemployment and addiction marginalise people in ways that is hard for most of us to imagine. There is the lack of structure, the lack of belonging and the feeling that nobody notices, or cares about your existence. And someone who has existed on the periphery of society for any length of time often finds it almost impossible to make their way back in. Sport often acts as a catalyst for change and the Issues Street League aimed to use football to break this cycle of homelessness and deprivation - as the league grew so did the positive results as many of the players changed their lives completely.
Since its inception, many different agencies including CASP (Clondalkin Addiction Support Programme), the De Paul Trust and Merchants Quay Ireland have come together for the first time in the last few years through the league, and this has helped promote cross-culture understanding between the various agencies working the areas of homelessness, unemployment and addiction; a new street league was also launched in Limerick City at the end of January.
‘Over the past five years, with support from Dublin City Council, FAI, sponsors Start Mortgages and Lifestyle Sports, Issues Street Soccer League has grown and expanded more than we could ever have envisaged back in 2003,’ says Sean Kavanagh, founder of Street League and editor of Ireland’s Issues. ‘And whatever our successes on the football pitch, it is the momentous changes that we have seen in the lives of the players that really bring home the importance of continuing with the league regardless of the pressures.’
Danny Mc Evoy (27) got involved with the street league through CASP four years ago. He became involved with drugs when he first left school at the age of fifteen and the next few years of his life were chaotic as his drug addiction led him in and out of prison. Like so many young people fighting addiction there seemed to be no way out of this cycle of drugs and crime, but on his last release from prison Danny found help through CASP, and through them started playing football.
‘I started playing every Saturday with the league,’ remembers Danny. ‘It was great going out there, meeting other people; we even played against the Gardai! It really gave you confidence, motivated you to keep yourself together, get fit and gave you something to look forward to every week.’
Danny’s life has now changed completely. He has been working for the last three years as a facilitator in an Internet café and he is also an IT instructor teaching ECDL level computer skills. He is still involved with the league and although he hasn’t represented Ireland in the World Cup, is hoping that he can get fit enough for a chance to play on the team going to Melbourne in December.
‘The League is great’ says Danny. ‘Playing football is one of the best ways of getting out your frustrations. I’ve also made lots of friends through it - even if I’m not playing its great to go to the centres, have a cup of tea and watch the other teams play.’
For people who have been isolated for so long, whether through unemployment, homelessness or addiction, this kind of socialisation is crucial to their recovery. Chris (33), who is also involved in the street league, agrees.
‘Making friends and knowing there was someone I could talk to, made such a difference to me’ he says. ‘Being involved with the league gave you that sense of belonging - you were part of a team - you felt you couldn’t let the lads down, that you had a responsibility.’
Chris is another of the league’s many success stories. Having left school in his early teens his life also spiralled out of control when he became involved with drugs and crime. Off drugs for many years now, he returned to school and completed his Junior Cert before going on to third level education; he is now in his second year of a three year degree course in university and is hoping to work in the arena of drug rehabilitation on completion of his degree. Education has opened his mind to the many possibilities open to him and he is confident about the future.
‘The gap between where I was to where I am now is amazing,’ grins Chris. ‘I love studying - it has opened my mind to a lot of things in my life. While my recovery was a combination of a lot of things, playing in the street league has given me focus and hope and enabled me to gain control of my life.’
Gerard Clifford found himself homeless on the streets of Dublin a few years ago after his heavy drinking had forced him to leave the family home in Nenagh, Tipperary. Having quit drinking Gerard became involved with the league and soon immersed himself in practicing every weekend. ‘I found the supports I needed in the league,’ he remembers. ‘It kept me sane and I was meeting lots of interesting people.’
Gerard went to represent Ireland in Gothenburg in 2004 and played mid-field position in South Africa in 2006, an experience that he will never forget.
‘If you are homeless in Ireland there are shelters to go to, somewhere to get food,’ he points out, ‘but the kids in Africa literally have to fight for their lives.’
Gerard says that his life is now ‘going brilliantly’. His confidence has soared; he is in control of his life and although he now plays football with Ronanstown Football Club, he remains in close contact with all his friends from the street league. He has also become a dad and absolutely loves his new found responsibility as father to an eight-month old son.
‘The league helped me so much,’ reiterates Gerard. ‘I got so much support and found so many friends from football. Take it from me being involved gives you so much confidence, and if you work hard, opportunities to travel that you would never normally get. For me life has never been better!’
‘Taking part in a soccer league like this is such a confidence booster,’ agrees Kavanagh. ‘It gives people who have found themselves in difficulties a real sense of self-worth and demonstrates that they can achieve objectives far beyond what theywould have though possible.
It is these personal stories that remain the real inspiration for all those who work so hard maintaining the league, and serve to remind us all that this soccer street league is about so much more than just a game of football!

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