Street Soccer NI: £10k boost for homeless football scheme

Since 2013, Street Soccer NI has sent a team to represent Northern Ireland at the annual Homeless World Cup football tournament

A football-based charity that helps homeless and vulnerable people in Northern Ireland to change their lives has been given a £10,000 funding boost.

Street Soccer NI runs football training sessions and coaching courses for up to 60 young men. It also offers support with housing, employment and addiction.

Each year, it sends a national team to compete in the Homeless World Cup.

This year, eight different players were chosen to travel to Amsterdam for the 2015 final.

Aidan Byrne, manager of East Belfast Mission homelessness service, told the BBC that this year's training began in April and that five of team have already secured full-time employment.

He said the success of this year's programme had "wildly surpassed" their expectations.

'Invaluable services'

Homeless World Cup player Gerard Toner, from Belfast, said he had been suicidal before being helped by Street Soccer NI.

"Early this year something terrible happened in my life and I had lost hope and my ambition," Mr Toner said.

"I had plans to take my own life and I had even tried to do so. Street Soccer has given me a new perspective on life and I have ambitions again to get ahead in life.

"I've got my own house now and I'm actively looking for work, I hope to secure a full-time position soon."

The charity has now been awarded £10,000 from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) to expand its training programme by 50%.

The money will allow another 30 young men to take part in training next year, with sessions planned for Ballymena in County Antrim, Dungannon in County Tyrone and, Bangor and Newry in County Down.

There are also plans to develop a soccer academy.

The NIHE's homelessness policy and strategy manager, Liam Kinney, said: "We are very proud of the players' achievements and the impact this project has in transforming the lives of those affected by homelessness.

"We have been working closely with Street Soccer NI for a number of years now and are delighted that, thanks to this new funding, more people will have the opportunity to avail of the project's invaluable services."