SSNYC Director: Will Mazzuto
SSNYC Volunteer Coaches: Chris Murray, John Salvucci,
SSNYC Volunteer Coordinator: Nell Baird
SSNYC Supporters Group Directors: Courtney Bernabei, Kaitlin Giannetti
Team Managers:
Year of Participation: Third
Organization: HELP
Level of Programming: 3D
About the Program
The Street Soccer USA New York team, in its third year, is organized by HELPUSA out of two shelters: the Supportive Employment Center and the Clarke Thomas Next Step program. The 16 member team trains every Monday and Thursday at Wards Islands in a repaired gymnasium, formally used only for storage, with matches on Wednesdays. In 2009, the team competed in an Adult Soccer League at Chelsea Piers playing teams of bankers and lawyers from the area. After defeating a team of bankers and corporate professionals, the team received national attention in The New York Times and NBC’s The Today Show. The New York team traveled to the US Cup and earned a fourth place finish.The team is supported by a number of dedicated volunteers and has produced many stars on and off the field.
Results
The goal of Street Soccer USA is to use the power of team sports to help people move off the street, out of shelter, and into sustainable independent living. The New York program’s systematic approach is designed to build trust, self-esteem, discipline, and basic financial literacy through sports. Mentoring and goal setting practices are designed to push people ahead faster and farther than they ever thought possible; and to address barriers like drug addiction and mental instability head on.
When the Street Soccer New York program started, only 6 percent of participants were working (one out of 16); now 69 percent (11 out of 16) are employed: eight part-time and three full-time. Similarly, 88 percent of participants (14 out of 16) have either found work, housing, or recuperated their legal status in the United States since joining the program: four players are not working and living independently, and seven additional players are working and moving out of the shelter soon.
In terms of immigration and documentation, similar impacts have been made. At the start of the program, six players lacked proper documentation. Currently, four players have approval for green cards, two are currently in possession and one is on track to receive green card; four other players have obtained birth certificates, state IDs and passports, and one is currently working on acquiring the documents.
In The Media
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXwwYz4-XeY
