Parliamentary Cup raises Australia's street soccer profile

Homeless World Cup National Partner in Australia, and Beyond Sport Award Shortlister, the Big Issue Australia hosted the Parliamentary Cup in the grounds of Parliament House, located in the country’s capital city of Canberra. The event, held at the end of 2015, was put together by volunteers from all over the country, and teams from around the city were invited to attend. The tournament, which spread over two inflatable pitches, received teams made up of politicians, local staff, Canberra’s All-Star Team, organisations and players from the Big Issue Australia – Community Street Soccer Programs (CSSP) in Parramatta and Canberra.

The event aimed at offering participants a chance to play and network, was also very successful at promoting the work that CSSP have done over the years and received a lot of coverage on local media. Australia’s Health Minister Sussan Ley described CSSP as a “vital program for using sport to promote health outcomes for disadvantaged and marginalised people.”

Among some of the politicians that attended were Senators Glenn Lazarus and Richard Colbeck, and Members of Parliament Chris Bowen and Bert van Manen.

CSSP is a federally funded initiative organised by the Big Issue Australia. They operate in 18 locations throughout the country, covering all states and territories with workshops and training sessions aimed at helping homeless, marginalised, and disadvantaged men and women.

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