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A local homeless charity has shared how they are addressing Jersey's "hidden problem" of homelessness by delivering weekly football sessions that encourage both physical well-being and a sense of community.
Through Connect Me – a Government grant scheme promoting well-being through physical and cultural activities – local charity The Shelter Trust secured funding that covered the football cage rental at Springfield for the entirety of 2023, along with the purchase of football gear.
The weekly football sessions are open to all individuals living within The Shelter Trust's sites, including those currently experiencing homelessness, those who have experienced it in the past, and even individuals who are sofa surfing.
Pictured: The Shelter Trust houses approximately 100 people every night in their shelters.
Paul McGinnety, Director of Local Services, explained: “Health outcomes for homeless people are often significantly below those with secure accommodation and coupled with financial restrictions, participation sports are often out of reach.
“Because of this, alongside the immediate needs of their residents, The Trust has started to explore ways to support people in getting active, which has seen the recent introduction of weekly football sessions.”
These sessions are part of a holistic approach to counteract the negative effects of homelessness on an individual's well-being, which Lisa McLaughlin, a support worker at The Shelter Trust, sees as a "hidden problem" in Jersey.
"We have a couple of teams, regularly 12 or more people attending each week," said Josephine Scott, HR Manager at The Shelter Trust.
"We initially advertised the football as ‘walking football’ to encourage all ages and abilities, some of the players attending can only walk and join in the game however, the majority of players run around," she added.
Pictured: The football team sessions help residents with fitness, social anxiety, and community building.
Lisa McLaughlin, the driving force behind the initiative, was inspired by the idea of starting a football team to make a positive impact on residents' lives.
“We wanted to do something fun for the residents, helping them with their fitness and social anxiety, fostering a sense of community spirit," Lisa explained.
“And a lot of these residents already know each other because they've lived together in different sites. So they're friends, sometimes enemies, but this can make them friends again!
"We just want to do something positive for them that's not paperwork. If they can come here and have an hour, have a laugh, a bit of a release, it just helps."
She continued: "At the end, we'll hang around for 10-15 minutes, and people open up a bit more.
"They talk more naturally, and sometimes they'll ask for a private chat to share their struggles. It's been a really good way of having a different outlet for residents."
Lisa encouraged islanders to get involved, explaining: "We just want to do something positive for them, and with the community's support, we can make a real difference."
With over 100 individuals housed every night across their shelters, The Shelter Trust is the island's largest provider of accommodation and support services for the homeless community.
Their primary objective is to minimise the time individuals spend in emergency accommodations, facilitating their return to mainstream living as quickly as possible.
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