Street Soccer Northern Ireland
Street Soccer NI uses sport as an anchor for its services which work with people from disadvantaged backgrounds to tackle homelessness, unemployment, addiction, and mental health issues. Working in partnership with a range of agencies, Street Soccer NI works across Belfast, Coleraine, Bangor, Downpatrick and Derry/Londonderry with support tailored for each individual ranging from housing, employment opportunities, mental health support and signposting, to other services alongside its weekly sporting sessions.
Thanks to support from Garfield Weston we were able to fund our Derry/Londonderry project which reaches over 60 adults a week, This grant has helped make a huge difference to people’s lives, especially people at risk of homelessness. We provided weekly football sessions for men and women, gym sessions, education workshops and provided support to help people with housing, employment, volunteer opportunities and more.
At the time of applying to the Foundation, Street Soccer NI had experienced an increase in need and demand in Derry/Londonderry and wanted to expand its provision in the area. We appreciated the thoughtful approach the charity took in planning this expansion and its work with other local services to ensure a joined-up approach for clients, with a focus on people who typically are not accessing mainstream services. The charity included powerful case studies in its application that demonstrated the impact of its work. It also demonstrated a robust plan for diversifying the charity’s income so it is not overly reliant on any one source. The Trustees were happy to make a core cost grant to support the important work of Street Soccer NI.