Street Soccer for Social Change

"Join this team, change your life."

That's the offer Street Soccer USA makes to homeless youth and adults in 16 cities across the United States.

In two weeks, July 31-August 2nd in Washington, DC, Street Soccer USA will host the 16-city Street Soccer USA Cup, a 4v4 soccer competition. All the players are homeless, or were when they joined their respective teams at some point over the last year. Street Soccer USA partners with homeless service providers large and small. Incubated within HELP USA, one of the nation's leading providers, Street Soccer USA also works with locally based providers such as YouthlinkMN in Minneapolis, Jovenes, Inc. in Los Angeles, and The Urban Ministry Center in Charlotte where the Street Soccer model originated, to name a few.

"Join this team, change your life," is a powerful message because it puts power in the hands, or at the feet as it were, of people on the street who self select for our teams. Many say they have no time for sport, let alone soccer. But those who do join the teams get in shape, set goals, pair up with mentors, and learn how to manage their time. Street Soccer USA has documented that it's participants visit emergency rooms and jails less often than their peers, and brags a success rate of 75% in moving its team members into housing, jobs, education, treatment, or reconnecting them with family.

The Street Soccer USA model is original but has important analogues in therapeutic communities and team sports across the globe. Most Americans recognize the power of sports as personal development tool without question. Is it any surprise that team sports are an effective didactic tool and a life changing force for people marginalized and excluded by poverty and homelessness?

Besides that, Street Soccer USA is part of an international movement punctuated each year by the 48-nation Homeless World Cup. An all star team chosen for their achievements off the field as well as their soccer prowess will be announced after the presentation of the Ted Leonsis Trophy on Sunday August 2nd. The Team will travel to Milan for the Homeless World Cup in September.

Check back to Change.org for upcoming and exclusive posts highlighting some of the players, teams, coaches, and organizations using sport to fight homelessness and poverty.