TRANSCRIPT
“1, 2, 3, GO KANGAS!”
In this suburban park in Melbourne, it was a lot more than silverware on offer.
The Homeless Cup was also an opportunity for people to come together, and share common experiences around a growing problem.
Yorta Yorta man Glen Scott battled drug addiction and had nowhere to live.
He says he's been clean for four years, but that experience of homelessness impacted him deeply.
“You've got no friends out there, so no one's your friend out there, you know what I mean? Then when you quit the drugs and alcohol, you're all by yourself again, so it's loneliness and so with Cohealth they offer the friendship, you know what I mean? We're already broken and they're trying to bring you back into a system.”
Koos Koeleman also experienced sleeping rough on and off since the mid-90s.
Recently though, he's noticed a change.
“It's getting worse and worse. Back then, you'd hardly see anyone on the street, and now people are just everywhere. It's heartbreaking that I see it. I've been living it for so long, lived on church steps and lived in a hockey centre in St Kilda for a while. It's tragic, there's not enough housing, it's not safe housing.”
With the rising cost of living, service providers like Cohealth are coming under growing pressure.
As someone who experienced homelessness, peer support worker Jimmy Rose is now able to give back, and says the problem is only growing.
“I've experienced homelessness and most of the people who play this game have experienced homelessness or know someone who has experienced homelessness. The problem is it's become too common these days - it should be a rarity.”
The initiative has aimed to bring members of Melbourne's homeless community together for a kick around once every week.
Organisers like Beau Branch say that opportunity to get active and make personal connections is vital to their wellbeing.
“Wednesday for our clients and participants in the Cohealth Kangaroos is that one day that they can leave their doors, they don't feel isolated, they feel connected to the community, and they can just have a really good day and kind of push away all of those things in their life that are difficult. Let's face it - playing a game of footy is much more fun than probably meeting up with your case manager and following up those supports. That needs to be done, but this is a really good gateway to get that happening.”
In its inaugural year, there are high hopes this welcoming and non-judgemental competition can be that gateway to building lasting friendships, and breaking down social isolation.
Koos Koeleman says it's literally saved his life.
“It means everything. If it wasn't for this, I wouldn't be alive. My old coaches, my new coaches - they're mates more than workers or anything. They've helped me get housing and stuff. I was sleeping in a rooming house in Greensborough which was the lowest and then I've now got a two-bedroom unit in Newport living with my son, and I've got a good missus and it's pretty good.”
