Football in the Community Street Life Soccer Kicks Off

FITC are pleased to announce the introduction of our brand new "Street Life Soccer ".

Football In The Community will be working in partnership with the Homeless Vulnerable Education Support Programme (HAVES), Norfolk Learning Partnership and the Football Foundation - the UK's largest sports charity - who are funding the three-year project with a grant of £145,691.

Street Life Soccer will target 10 socially excluded groups per year including homeless people, vulnerably housed, asylum seekers, refugees and ethnic minority groups. It will also provide preventative work for children at risk of becoming homeless. Football will be the tool to engage the target group and provide a coach education and accredited education programme to move their lives on positively.

An adult league will be established to provide competitive opportunities and a representative team will be selected to allow the most talented players to progress.

There will be an aim to create new football volunteers through referee, league administration, and coaching and leadership courses. With the aim to progress the groups into local affiliated football and creating sustainable FA Charter Standard football clubs in the future.

A report by Think Tank Research shows that "Of the 6,000 children who leave care each year, 4,500 will have no qualifications and a fifth will be homeless", says the study by the Centre for Policy Studies. Also the Great Yarmouth Hosing Department suggests: "90% of young people succeed where there has been educational intervention". In 2006 225 Children in Norfolk have been identified as highly at risk of being excluded from school, which we aim to work closely with through this project.

Alex Fairhurst presented a £145,691 cheque from the Football Foundation to Norwich City FC FITC at half time during the Norwich City's home game against Cardiff City FC. Alex said:" Street Life Soccer is Norwich City FITC's most ambitious project to date and I am delighted the Football Foundation is working in partnership with them to deliver it. The Canaries' excellent community coaches will use the power of the game to help those who need it most."

To get involved in the project or for more information, please contact the Social Inclusion Officer on 01603 761122 or by email at [email protected].