Community Street Soccer Program Grant Opportunity Guidelines

Overview

The Community Street Soccer Program (CSSP) is a national program that provides weekly soccer training and support sessions to disadvantaged and marginalised people in communities around Australia. The CSSP is outcome focussed, utilising sport to deliver valuable health outcomes, and promote social inclusion and personal change. Participants meet in a stable, safe and non-threatening environment, allowing them to get fit, make new friends and seek support and advice. Through the program, support staff engage people who in many cases have given up on counselling and traditional support systems and services. The CSSP puts the person at the centre of the solution and provides them with the support and tools necessary to make positive changes to their life. The support staff work closely with players to connect them with services that address relevant issues including homelessness, substance abuse, family breakdown and mental illness. The objectives of the grant opportunity are: to provide homeless, disadvantaged and marginalised Australians with the opportunity to improve their physical and mental health and positively change their lives through participation in an organised community-based sporting activity; to develop and embed current relationships with local and community education, training, and employment services to provide referral pathways for participants, where possible; and to connect participants with services that address relevant issues including homelessness, substance abuse, family breakdown and mental illness.