KickinIt
( Share this page on Facebook, MySpace, Digg or Del.icio.us )
Background to the Homeless World Cup
The Homeless World Cup is an annual, international football tournament, uniting teams of homeless, excluded individuals in a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent their country and change their lives. The event attracts around 25,000 people who take part in training and trials around the world, with the top 500 players from 48 nations competing at the Homeless World Cup.
The Homeless World Cup, established by social entrepreneur, Mel Young, who launched the Big Issue magazines in 1993, supports and inspires grass roots projects around the world working with homeless and excluded people. Supporters include UEFA, Nike, UN, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Eric Cantona and international footballers Didier Drogba and Rio Ferdinand. The 2008 event will be hosted by The Big Issue Australia with the support of the state government.
The impact on participants' lives is significant, with around three quarters of players changing their lives for the better by coming off drugs and alcohol, getting jobs, an education, homes, training or being reunited with their families. Some even go on to become players and coaches for pro or semi-pro football teams!
Your Itinerary
You will arrive into Melbourne on November 29, and begin with a private coach tour of the city. You will have the rest of the day to settle in at the Enterprise Hotel - your base for the next 10 nights.
November 30 is a briefing day ahead of your crucial role at the World Cup, which begins on December 1.
The areas where you can help are:
Online Match Reporters
Live match reports are posted directly online to keep hundreds of thousands of fans around the world up to date with scores, fixtures, penalty kicks and pitch side drama. Report on all the fast paced action of true grit, spirit and glory where there is everything to play for minute by minute as it happens direct from the pitch side. Requires writing ability, understanding of and passion for football, use of PC and ability to type fast!
Match Photographers
Photograph the action at the pitch side, goals, glory, tears and drama as it unfolds at the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup. Images will be made available online to bring the colour of the tournament to fans around the world and offered for press use.
Photographer Assistants
Assist with the management of all the photographer services and spaces at the competition venue.
Media Assistants
Assist with the management of all media services and spaces at the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup. This includes staffing of the media centre, updating media information and handling media enquires contributing to a high energy, professional environment.
Access Monitors
Be a friendly face at the competition venue and Player Village access points to ensure team and venue security is of the highest standard for a successful Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup.
Catering Assistant: Competition Venue
Help ensure that players and workforce and fed, watered and well looked after throughout the tournament week. Oversee delivery, storage and distribution of meal packs at the competition venue, check voucher system, monitor stock control and log feedback.
Catering Assistant – Player Village
Help ensure that players and workforce and fed, watered and well looked after throughout the tournament week. Oversee the team dinners in the dining hall at the Player Village. Engage with and encourage team interaction, maintain an efficient queuing system, record any feedback and manage the liaison with in-house caterers.
Player Storage/Changing Rooms Monitor
Manage and ensure the operation of the Player Storage and Change area at the competition venue including access, security, implementing and maintaining an efficient storage system and assisting players with the fast turn-around required between matches.
Your shifts are for 8 hours at a time. Indicative shift times are: 07:30 – 15:30 and 15:00 – 23:00.
The tournament runs from the December 1 to December 7. There is a big party on December 7, and so December 8 is a free day for you to recover and enjoy Melbourne.
Click here to see footage from the 2007 World Cup on YouTube.
On December 9, we fly to Sydney where we have another private tour:
We travel through the charming historic Rocks precinct, with its quaint old cottages, pubs and the first church in Australia. This drive takes in Observatory Hill overlooking Darling Harbour, Bridge Street, the financial precinct of Australia and Sydney, Macquarie Street with the Parliament House of NSW government, the Mint and Hyde Park Barracks. Traveling past St Mary’s Cathedral, you visit the Sydney Domain and Royal Botanic Gardens. Here we take a short stroll to view Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair and for an unsurpassed view of Sydney Harbour, the Opera House and Bridge.
Rejoining the vehicle we continue along the shores of Sydney Harbour, around Woolloomooloo Bay, to Potts Point, Kings Cross, ritzy Double Bay and Rose Bay, passing by the up-market real estate of the rich and famous... We travel further to Watsons Bay and South Head, with its breathtaking views of Sydney Harbour the Heads, the North Shore and the city. We take a short stroll along the cliff tops and rejoin the vehicle to Bondi Beach and Centennial Park. We transfer to the Vibe Hotel, our base for the next three nights.
December 10 is a free day for you to enjoy one of the world's greatest cities.
December 11 is a full day tour to the Blue Mountains with private coach.
This fantastic ecotour begins at your hotel and the historical Rocks area of old Sydney. Heading across the western plains of Sydney metropolitan, we make our way to the Great Dividing Range of Australia. It is here we leave the ‘average’ Blue Mountains tourist behind and enter the National Park to unlock a piece of Australia you would never have known existed. We visit ancient Aboriginal sites and outstanding lookouts, examine rock formations and the unusual plants and wildlife that abound the area. From the quaint little village of Leura we skirt around Cliff Drive to Katoomba where you will find yourself looking out over the magnificent Jamieson Valley and the Three Sisters. We enjoy a delicious barbecue lunch under the canopy of the Australian bush. Before returning to Sydney we drop into a hidden valley where we roam the area, seeking out the many kangaroos that graze in the wild (conditions permitting). Reluctantly we leave the National Park passing by the Olympic 2000 site back to your hotel in Sydney.
On December 12, we fly to Cairns and check-in to the Mercure Hotel (Mountain View Room). The rest of the day is yours at leisure.
December 13 is the Great Barrier Reef!
Sunlover Reef Cruises' luxury cruises to Moore Reef offer the ultimate Great Barrier Reef experience for people of all ages. You will have approximately four hours to explore the outer reef from our Moore Reef pontoon, so you will have plenty of time to be amazed and inspired by the unsurpassed beauty and splendour of this underwater playground. You will travel in luxury onboard a modern air-conditioned catamaran.
Your Sunlover Reef Cruises Outer Great Barrier Reef Day includes: Informative presentation hosted by our marine naturalist; Delicious chef-prepared buffet luncheon featuring fresh seafood, hot dishes, salads and sumptuous tropical fruits; Guided coral viewing from our semi-submersible craft and glass bottom boat; On-board touch tank to experience unique marine life up close. All snorkelling equipment is provided.
For our final full day on this trip (December 14), we go to the Daintree Rain Forest with private coach.
Departing our accommodation, we travel through the rich farming areas toward the World Heritage Listed forest region of Cape Tribulation. We step aboard a cruise on the mirrored smooth waters of the Daintree River. We cruise close to riverbanks and under the overhead canopy of the rainforest seeking out the vivid Ulysees Butterfly, Kingfishers and various other wildlife. Arriving on the northern side of the river we now enter the Cape Tribulation section of the Wet Tropics World Heritage protected rainforest. Our journey takes up the beautiful Alexandra Range passing through rainforest waterfalls and on to our first stop for homestyle morning tea deep in the rainforest at the Jindalba boardwalk. Jindalba (the aboriginal name for this place) is also where we literaly immerse you inside our protected forests and take you on a guided walk where we view plants of ancient linage right through to examples of our more recent (relatively speaking of course) species of flowering plants. You may see elusive native birds. Continuing along the Cape Tribulation road, we then stop at the magical Thornton Beach. Here our guides highlight the amazing wildlife and ecosystems unique to this part of the world – “where the rainforest meets the sea”.
Lunch is a special treat today, deep under the Rainforest canopy. We enjoy a delicious lunch of tropical rainforest-inspired local produce. This is a unique opportunity to enjoy quality food, whilst bathed in the serenity of the Tropical Rainforests. We have the chance for a private rainforest walk here as well .This is also an opportunity to immerse yourself in the fresh, clear, rainforest creek. After lunch, we take you to a exotic tropical fruit orchard.
Our last stop and final lasting impression will be at the outstanding panoramic picture postcard view at Alexandra Range Lookout. From here you'll have a spectacular view of the mouth of the Daintree River, Snapper Island and on a clear day, Port Douglas.
On December 15, you either fly back to your home country, or stay on with one of our extension trips, or do your own thing!
Feel free to contact us if you have any enquiries about this trip.
