HOMELESS WORLD CUP GLASGOW LEGACY PROJECT. Case study: Graham Foster, Glasgow Legacy volunteer

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1 HOMELESS WORLD CUP GLASGOW LEGACY PROJECT Case study: Graham Foster, Glasgow Legacy volunteer

2 Case study: John Mooney, Glasgow Legacy volunteer Introduction Homeless World Cup Glasgow Legacy Project The Homeless World Cup Glasgow Legacy Project follows on from the success of the 2016 Homeless World Cup event, a pioneering social movement which uses football to inspire homeless people to change their own lives. The programme, supported through money raised by National Lottery players and distributed by the Big Lottery Fund, enables the volunteers to develop confidence, new skills, improve social connections and build networks to help address the isolation and loneliness some experience. The legacy programme offers a range of sports, cultural and learning activities to all of the volunteers. The project also aims to help to challenge the myths and misconceptions about homelessness and enhance awareness. Graham Foster was one of the 96 volunteers who performed event volunteering roles during the 2016 Homeless World Cup event. Graham was born and breed in Glasgow and has experienced homelessness within Glasgow. Background Before the Homeless World Cup Graham, who is 35 years old first became homeless at the age of 17 after a relationship breakdown with his father who was an alcoholic. Graham became linked with drugs and alcohol in the hostels and for a large chunk of his life lived in hostels, served time in prison and rehabilitation centres. In his late 20 s, Graham met his current partner and they had a baby boy together. During his sons early years Graham relapsed and their child was taken into social care. From this point Graham did everything he could to get his life back on track and get custody of his son. Five days a week Graham started attending Phoenix Futures, a charity and housing association which helps people overcome drug and alcohol problems. It was here that Graham became aware of the Glasgow 2016 Homeless World Cup event and Glasgow legacy project. Graham within 8 weeks of attending Phoenix Futures had stabilised himself and received custody of his son again.

3 Event Journey Homeless World Cup Graham was recruited as a volunteer for the event alongside some of his friends from Phoenix Futures. During recruitment for the event, volunteers were made aware of the Glasgow Legacy project and support options available to them, for example that there were not barriers to them volunteering at the HWC. No barriers, that was a big thing for us that were recovering addicts. Child care options, travel expenses and a legacy project after the event all sounded great. What really grassed me and what I appreciated was the fact that Glasgow Life was giving me the chance to develop. I was really drawn to that. I have never been one to be lazy, I have always been highly motivated. As soon as I heard about it(hwc) I wanted to get involved and prove that I was capable and on the track to being a good father to my son. During the event, Graham was always very upbeat and had a positive attitude towards his volunteer roles. Graham received the opportunity to support and commentate one of the HWC matches. It was amazing! I have never done anything like that before and it felt great to be chose to do it. The HWC, I loved it, it was the best experience ever!

4 Impact Homeless World Cup event and Legacy Project Graham has been involved in many of our activities and organised sessions throughout the Legacy project. Hampden thank you celebration and museum tour Glasgow Sport Volunteering Bureau support volunteering session Christmas Celebration event Football coaching qualifications Sport employability workshop Legacy volunteer teambuilding session Scottish National Cross Country Mountain Bike Event Professional club visit Ibrox Stadium Trail building and maintenance session Velodrome taster session Bubble Football All of these activities and organised sessions were created to support the legacy volunteers to develop their confidence, gain new skills, improve their social connections and support them to feel comfortable and able to access mainstream activities within Glasgow. The legacy project has bee great for me. My confidence is probably second to none of where it has even been in my life, through this confidence I have gained more motivation and determination about me and I have picked up lots and lots of new skills. People skills have improved and iv been a bit judgements and caught up in serotyping of large venues, and the people in them that were not like me, and that s not true, Its really not the way forwards. My views have changed and I'm not scared to try new things and speak to new people.

5 Volunteering Journey I had never volunteered before the HWC. I had always turned my nose up at volunteering throughout my life, and viewed it as community service. I had taken prison sentences rather than doing community service, but this time it was different and there was a pure buss about it. It wasn t forced upon me I chose to do it off my own back. I have got a lot out of volunteering and now volunteer my time at recovery café s on a Monday and Friday night. I have volunteered at serval Glasgow Sport events like the Mountain bike event. That was brilliant! I got a suntan before anyone else in the scheme because I was out and about volunteering. So since the HWC I would have never have volunteered and now it s all I do. I love it and want to keep doing more and more. Graham has now became linked to Recovery with Rangers, a project that aims to have a positive impact on people s recovery from addiction through football. Through this project and the Glasgow Legacy project Graham has complete his 1.1 and 1.2 football qualification. He is now working towards his 1.3 qualification as part pf the Legacy project. The knowledge Graham has gained through the football qualification he uses with his own football team and assist the head coach with training sessions.. Throughout the event and legacy project I have never had a bad day, or attitude or word or bad vibe. Its always been a positive friendly happy atmosphere and you have given me chances, opened doors for me, paid for things for me and I was a complete stranger and you took that chance on me. I really appreciate that!