The Streets of Melbourne Come Alive with the International Homeless World Cup, an Irked Magazine exclusive by Donna Williams
Written by admin2 on December 5th, 2008Filed under: Regular Contributors, Donna Williams, Themes, Auties & Aspies, Bum Deal, Interviews, Campaign Watch, Irked Videos
An Irked Magazine exclusive by Donna Williams
[Ed's note: Donna Williams is Irked Magazine's Melbourne correspondent. She's an internationally best-selling author, painter, sculptor, and composer. She has autism, and a "fruit salad" of other disorders. Mel Young is one of the planet's leading advocates for the homeless. In addition to being co-creator and President of the Homeless World Cup, he's also co-founder of The Big Issue Scotland, co-founder of the International Network of Street Papers, author of "GOAL: The story of the Homeless World Cup," founder of New Consumer Magazine, and a Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship Outstanding Fellow.]
Melbourne came alive this week to the glory and spectacle of the International Homeless World Cup and even I got swept up in it. Sacha Vais, founder and editor of Irked Magazine, contacted me offering me the opportunity to interview the founder of the HWC, Mel Young (also co-founder of The Big Issue Scotland in 1993). He arranged for a TV interview to be filmed with Mel, one of the athletes named Alan (who came from Liverpool where he had been homeless and was representing England in the Cup) and Louis, a coach from Manchester United who was out here to coach the England team.
Mel, Alan and Louis arrived at the Channel 31 TV studio in Melbourne’s CBD (Central Business District), together with their publicist Kirsty, and were ushered into their seats for a whirlwind interview in a wildly hectic PR schedule. Parades, matches, workshops and PR were all part of the agenda for these guys.
Cameras rolling and me in the interviewer’s seat (sure, I manage Exposure Anxiety and receptive language processing disorder as part of my autism but that’s never stopped me!) Mel, Louis and Alan answered my questions, discussing how the International Homeless World Cup came about, how it rose to success, how it has mobilised communities and brings homelessness into humanising visibility. Alan talked about his own background, living rough in Liverpool, his discovery of soccer through the rehab he was in, the way becoming an athlete turned his life around and reconnected him with wider society (he’s now back in touch with family and in the process of becoming a Community Worker). I asked him if such big life changes were set in motion for other players through the HWC and all three chimed in that around 80% of players ended up turning their lives around as a result of new direction, purpose, inclusion, self esteem…and Alan was quick to remind me that it wasn’t just homeless people who benefited, it was also their families. The Homeless World Cup has the power to sometimes restore families.
Figures from homelessworldcup.org back this up.
Research 6 months after the international tournament demonstrates a consistent, significant impact.
For example, after the Cape Town 2006 Homeless World Cup players report:
—92% have a new motivation for life (342 players)
—72% play football on regular basis (268 players)
—89% have improved social relations (331 players)
—73% have changed their lives for the better (272 players)
—35% have secured regular employment (130 players)
—44% have improved their housing situation (164 players)
—39% chose to pursue education (145 players)
—93 players addressed a drug or alcohol dependency
Homeless players from 56 nations participated in the HWC in Melbourne this week, breaking down stigma and isolation and replacing the public’s stereotypes, projections and fear with engagement, understanding, respect, equality and a greater sense of their own shared humanity with homeless people globally.
Exciting footage from the interview coming soon, so stay tuned!
In the meantime, watch a recent Web TV Chat with Mel Young:
To learn about the Homeless World Cup, visit homelessworldcup.org.
Read more great HWC coverage over at donnawilliams.net.
Donna’s TV interview with Mel, Louis and Alan was produced by Judy Magassy for Channel 31’s Visions TV program.
Watch many remarkable videos at homelessworldcup.tv.
Or: Read more about the Homeless World Cup on irkedmagazine.com.
BONUS AUDIO TRACK: Click below to listen to one of the very first, ambient live recordings of Donna Williams’ new band, Donna & The Aspinauts. In Donna’s own words: “We’re only 6 months into the band but already have our first gig and hoping to have an album out in March. We’re also hoping to get the samples on the net soon but in the meantime here’s one of the tracks which broadly relates to the marginalisation of homeless people where people can’t even give you a smile but they should.”
From aspinauts.com:
The name the Aspinauts is a derivation of Aspie and Autie, slang associated with the autism spectrum. The band performs a combination of catchy diversity friendly alternative pop-rock songs and avant garde beat poetry with a socio-enviro message. We’re happy with challenging stereotypes, breaking down social barriers, promoting equality and tackling the tough subjects with theatre, surrealism and satire. In Australia and want to book us? Email: bookings@donnawilliams.net.
