Street Soccer USA's "I Play For"
This entry has been selected as a finalist in the
Changing Lives Through Football competition.
SSUSA believes ending homelessness is a team sport. We work with homeless teens and adults ages 15 and up, male and female, in 18 US cities. Inspired by the Homeless World Cup, Street Soccer USA has gone on to focus on developing programming excellence and a community based model for sport for development with the homeless.
Through a systematic approach we
1. Build community and trust through sports with participants and volunteers, transforming the context within which they live from one of isolation, abuse, and marginalization, to one of community, purpose, and achievement.
2. Require participants to set 3, 6, and 12-month life goals.
3. Empower participants by marrying clinical services to sport programming and providing access to educational/employment opportunities through our Jobs Academy.
Programs train thrice weekly, go out in the community to compete in local leagues with volunteers, and unite annually at our 18-city SSUSA Cup.
By undergoing the SSUSA process, players improve social skills, self-esteem, physical/mental health, and eliminate barriers to employment, making them more likely to achieve housing/job-placement than their peers.
Jobs Academies deliver resume writing, financial literacy, and workplace readiness in addition to a pool of resources (mentorship, employment partners, pro bono legal services, counselling/services for trauma, drug abuse, other barriers).
Team leaders in 18 cities exchange best practices and co-develop new solutions for programming and sustainability on a conference call every 6 weeks.
Select program ambassadors, male and female, represent SSUSA in various amateur tournaments, including the Homeless World Cup, each year.
Please see these media pieces on from 2010 on
CNN: http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/04/15/nr.homeless.soccer.cnn
ESPN: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5056878
And more features here: http://www.streetsoccerusa.org/press_and_media/features
About You
Section 1: About You
First Name
Lawrence
Last Name
Cann
Organization
Street Soccer USA
Country
United States, NY
Section 2: About Your Organization
Organization Name
Street Soccer USA
Organization Website
Organization Phone
646 385 1714
Organization Address
5 Hanover Square, 17th, New York, New York, 10004
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
Organization Country
United States, NY
Your idea
Name Your Project
Street Soccer USA's "I Play For"
Country your work focuses on
United States, NY
Describe Your Idea
SSUSA believes ending homelessness is a team sport. We work with homeless teens and adults ages 15 and up, male and female, in 18 US cities. Inspired by the Homeless World Cup, Street Soccer USA has gone on to focus on developing programming excellence and a community based model for sport for development with the homeless.
Through a systematic approach we
1. Build community and trust through sports with participants and volunteers, transforming the context within which they live from one of isolation, abuse, and marginalization, to one of community, purpose, and achievement.
2. Require participants to set 3, 6, and 12-month life goals.
3. Empower participants by marrying clinical services to sport programming and providing access to educational/employment opportunities through our Jobs Academy.
Programs train thrice weekly, go out in the community to compete in local leagues with volunteers, and unite annually at our 18-city SSUSA Cup.
By undergoing the SSUSA process, players improve social skills, self-esteem, physical/mental health, and eliminate barriers to employment, making them more likely to achieve housing/job-placement than their peers.
Jobs Academies deliver resume writing, financial literacy, and workplace readiness in addition to a pool of resources (mentorship, employment partners, pro bono legal services, counselling/services for trauma, drug abuse, other barriers).
Team leaders in 18 cities exchange best practices and co-develop new solutions for programming and sustainability on a conference call every 6 weeks.
Select program ambassadors, male and female, represent SSUSA in various amateur tournaments, including the Homeless World Cup, each year.
Please see these media pieces on from 2010 on
CNN: http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/us/2010/04/15/nr.homeless.soccer.cnn
ESPN: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5056878
And more features here: http://www.streetsoccerusa.org/press_and_media/features
Website URL
Innovation
What makes your idea unique?
Our idea is unique in 4 ways.
1. Development Model
We have a "3-D" program development model which emphasizes community sensitivity and trust building. the model enables us to integrate fully in existing services so leverage the power of our own program and increase the capacity of our partners to achieve positive results. This integration approach not only transforms individuals, but institutions in the way they deliver services.
2. Perspective on the Issue
We see homelessness as a symptom of the breakdown of community and so rather than solve individual as if they were problems, we build back the community and focus on empowering individuals to help themselves. This is vastly different than the pervasive case management model that exists for addressing homelessness in the United States. With the shared experience of playing sport, our volunteers become effective mentors and augment the case management system, doubling its capacity to serve several times over, and de-marginalizing the shelters where we work. We also believe in working within existing institutions to strengthen institutions, not to duplicate resources, and to achieve scale.
3. Research and Scope
We have launched a research initiative to monitor, evaluate and improve our programming for the specific populations we serve, but we don't stop there. Street Soccer USA rehabilitates the individual through sport and community, but also connects this process to our jobs academies. Jobs academies are a collection of local and national partnerships with employers, law firms, training programs, and educational institutions that offer real opportunities to our player who demonstrate their dedication and readiness through our sports teams.
4. National Network
Our multiple sites allow us to share best practices and replicate working ideas for programming and sustainability through our all city conference calls every 6 weeks.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
In 18 communities across all regions of the United States, SSUSA has achieved a greater than 75% success rate working with a participant pool for which a 33% success rate is considered enormously successful. To date this accounts for placement of 485 homeless youth and adults in jobs and housing out of 617 team members. In fact, we claim a 90% success rate in terms of effecting positive measurable change in our participants’ lives when we consider other outcome such as addressing mental health / substance abuse issues, reducing recidivism in jails, etc. Likewise over 90% of participants show indications of improved self esteem, physical health, and social skills, all of which create a greater likelihood of reintegration and employment.
Additionally SSUSA has involved over 2,000 volunteers to date in it programming and significantly impacted public perceptions of who the homeless are and what they are capable through service learning activities with schools and sports teams and by logging 114 million media impressions in 2009 (through print, television, and online outlets), all of which bucked stereotypes by portraying the homeless as hard working, valuable, and desiring of improving their condition.
Problem
Our society must address the young men and women and adults living on the street. Most are born into poverty and have suffered from its symptoms their entire life. The recent progress in reducing chronic homelessness through housing first initiatives is coupled with an overall rise in homelessness numbers.
Over 50% report incidents of physical or sexual abuse. Actual numbers are likely higher. Trauma from these experiences go largely untreated. Peer to peer group therapy is one of the most effective ways to address such trauma, yet few opportunities exist for normal, healthy social interaction, essential to healing and integration. To the contrary, people who experience homelessness are exposed to violence, criminal activity, and drugs on a daily basis, perpetuating their homelessness.
There is a lack of general understanding among the public about who the homeless are and the issues they are up against.
Actions
Street Soccer USA partners with existing service agencies to provide sport for development programs based at homeless centers in 18 US cities. Initial Street Soccer USA program become grounds for training and replication of the program to create city wide sport for social change leagues. Street Soccer USA partners with other non profit services providers to collect and deliver resources to participants that help them improve their goals.
Street Soccer USA has launched a research initiative with Sport Management professors at 4 US universities to strengthen its monitoring and evaluation, to develop specific best practices for the various populations it serves, and to guide capacity building and sustainability as we develop our programs.
To increase public awareness and understanding and to drive program fundraising, Street Soccer USA has developed and outreach campaign with pro bono partner Publicis called, "I Play For," which connects amateur and student athletes with homeless athletes by underscoring the common values they play for such as community, pride, hope, etc. rather than winning, scoring, and other performance related goals.
Results
Street Soccer USA will work with 1,600 people who are homeless in 2010/11, connecting over 75% to housing, jobs, and further education as a result of them undergoing the Street Soccer USA process. Long term partnerships and the formation of alumni teams will ensure the long term progress and success of program graduates and connect players, where appropriate, back to programs as coaches and role models for current players.
Street Soccer USA will refine and develop best practices, establish sport for social change leagues in 3 key cities that can be replicated to generate funds for program while reducing program costs.
The I Play for campaign will reach and connect the sports communities in each city to the issue of homelessness and the sport for development movement.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
Street Soccer USA's future success depends on our three focus areas:
1. Program Development
2. Research
3. Sustainability
In terms of program development, this year we are focused on establishing the baseline program model as our work transitions from grassroots development to sustainable enterprise. We have set up formal MOUs with all partners, instituted a governance and reporting structure, and facilitated regular sharing of best practices from bottom up and top down. In the following two years we will set development benchmarks for each program and build the capacity of our local directors to manage the growth and sustainability of their respective regions. Additionally we will focus our energy on 3-4 current markets best suited for expansion and replicate the expansion in other markets based on what we learn.
2. Our long term research project is currently conducting a meta-analysis of data collected to date by Street Soccer USA and developing instruments to evaluate our program model, our annual Street Soccer USA Cup, and the volunteer experience. In the second year we will carry out year long evaluations and issue a second report. In year three we will begin the second stage of our research based on our findings and implement our conclusions in the program. We believe that our quantitative and qualitative research is essential to the future sustainability and our ability to affect public policy as well.
In terms of sustainability, we take on in year one a traditional fundraising campaign based on realizing our business plan and capitalizing on our successes to date.
This year we held our annual event, The Sport For Social Change Awards, which successfully raised funding for our the Street Soccer USA Cup. We plan to grow the event each year to build the Street Soccer USA Cup. With this event established, all additional funds through sponsorship and other means can go towards program development an direct aid to participants.
We will likewise implement the I Play For campaign as the primary tool for driving online and low donor. One aspect of the I Play For campaign is our "Shop for Social Change" partnership with Smart Online, in which our supports can receive discounts from retail partners for online shopping. These discounts are converted to donations that go to the program they choose to support.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
Our main challenge is one of capacity. Our plans are ambitious and it will be essential to increase our small staff by making two new hires in the next year, on in development, and one for national program coordination to carry out our sustainability plans. Our small staff will be bolstered by the recent approval of Americorp workers, but we need quality, experienced hires in these two key positions.
How many people will your project serve annually?
1001‐10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$100 ‐ 1000
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
Sustainability
What stage is your project in?
Operating for 1‐5 years
In what country?
United States
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
HELP USA
How long has this organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Our Partnerships with 20 separate direct service providers are our most important asset.
Additionally our research partnerships with fellows at the Sport in Society Institute bring invaluable resources to bear on our organization.
Our special relationship with HELP USA, founded in 1986, one of the nation's largest homeless service providers, eliminates most overhead costs and lends us credibility and experience from one of the best national providers of homes and job training to the homeless.
In partnership with these organizations, we have the freedom to deliver more than baseline services, innovating and working on way to empower and sustain the success of our participants.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
The first action is committed attention to our core business and baseline operations, enhance by research, monitoring, and evaluations.
The second action is cultivation and expansion of the donor base and the steady development of revenue generating parts of our business.
The third action is to increase partnerships with businesses and non profits that cut costs or generate revenues or that deliver concrete opportunities in employment, education, and housing to the people we serve
The Story
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
Working in homeless services in Charlotte, NC, Lawrence Cann had developed a program called Art Works 945 (later Community Works 945), using a simple program model of building trust through the shared experience of collaborative art projects. When the number of teens, mostly children of the crack epidemic aging out of groups homes, began to sky rocket, Lawrence and his team began thinking of using sports to connect to this demographic. The first team, Art Works Football club, immediately learned of the Homeless World Cup and connected to that network. The power of a sports program coupled with the techniques developed through Art Works 945 showed immediate results. Given Lawrence's background as scholarship athlete playing soccer at Davidson College and a his years of experience working with the homeless, Art Works Football club was able to take advantage of the interest in the Homeless World Cup and spread the Street Soccer USA model rapidly through the soccer community and the homeless services community, ultimately organizing the launch of Street Soccer USA.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
When founder Lawrence Cann was 9 years old his house burned to the ground. He, his mother, and his brothers were left without a home. The experience was entirely positive because Lawrence experienced the power of the social safety net that was his family and their friends and if gave him a profound understanding and appreciation for community. When a friend dragged him to volunteer at homeless center, Lawrence met Ray Isaac and the two became fast friends. Ray was homeless, and became so after his house had burned down. Ray lacked the support structure that Lawrence and his family had. Today Ray is employed as a director of Community Works 945 in Charlotte based at the Urban Ministry Center and is an essential part of the community that supports and empowers people who are homeless as he was.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Through another organization or company
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
Fabian Koss, Youth Program Coordinator at the Inter American Development Bank
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