Announcement:
The Reform Party is continuing its programme of weekly walkabouts today (16th Oct 2009). The Walkabout will start from 7.30pm at Little India MRT Station NE 7 along Buffalo road towards Serangoon road to make a short stop over at Tekka Market. They will then proceed along Campbell Lane and Cuff road to Kaliamman Temple to finish around 9.30pm.
Press release by New Hope Community Services.
Introducing Team Hope – a football team for displaced and homeless people in Singapore
Singapore, October 14, 2009 – New Hope Community Services is launching Team Hope, a project inspired by the philosophy behind the Homeless World Cup, a global competition that takes place annually.
Training sessions are due to begin at 9am, on the 18th of October at Woodlands Stadium. Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Mr K Shanmugam will grace the event.
Team Hope aims to give displaced people in Singapore a football team to call their own, draw them out of their isolation, encourage discipline, help them regain a sense of self-worth and ultimately give them a better chance at getting back on their feet again.
“Football is a game everybody can understand,” says Pastor Andrew Khoo, founder of New Hope Community Services. “It is fun but also demanding as it requires tremendous teamwork.”
Team Hope targets not just homeless men, but also displaced families, many of whom have lost their homes as a result of the economic downturn. Such experiences can be traumatic and stressful, especially for the very young, as they might not be able to understand what is going on. Parents who are struggling to make ends meet often overlook the importance of helping their children cope. Family ties suffer as a result. New Hope hopes to encourage reconciliation by creating time each week for parents to bond with their children over a healthy activity.
Team Hope is supported by a generous donation from main sponsor, the Celton Group.
“Through the game of football, the homeless in Singapore are offered optimism and a new future through a sport that has a powerful ability to engage, connect and inspire those involved,” explains Celton Group Executive Director, William D. Mummery. “Above all, football provides a sense of achievement and belonging.”
To ensure that the training sessions are professionally managed, New Hope has enlisted the support of Football Passion, Singapore’s premier football academy. Experienced coaches from the academy will design programmes that are suitable for both adults and children.
Apart from regular training sessions, team members will also be taught life skills and have access to counseling sessions, as well as support in their efforts to find regular jobs.
“The ultimate aim,” says Pastor Khoo, “is to make homelessness a thing of the past for our participants. We want to give them tools that will help them help themselves.”
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Details of the official launch of Team Hope:
Date: October 18, 2009/ Sunday
Time: 0900hrs to 1100hrs
Venue: Woodlands Sports Stadium
Guest of Honour: Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Mr.K Shanmugam
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About New Hope Community Services
New Hope Community Services is the only organization in Singapore to provide temporary shelters and safe accommodation for displaced families and men in crisis. We network with other agencies to support our clients so that they can become resilient and self-supporting.
Website: www.newhopecs.org.sg
About the Celton Group
Celton seeks to contribute to society through a systematic series of corporate donations. For this purpose, Celton has set up a Charitable Trust which will act as the central foundation through which charitable donations will be made to select Singapore Charities. The set up of this trust will enable Celton to directly benefit those truly in need of financial aid. Celton adopts a pragmatic and long‐term view of charitable giving, and the Charitable Trust will enable Celton to progressively adapt its corporate giving to the changing needs of the selected charities. The foundation will maintain a constant dialogue with the selected charities so as to provide effective and targeted aid where it is needed most. In this way, Celton aims to make a real difference in the lives of the less privileged.
About Football Passion
Football Passion was developed out of a passion and enjoyment for the game. Events and activities are designed to be fun and competitive. Football Passion believes that football teaches players essential values and builds character. This belief is the core foundation of the organization. Discipline, hard work, teamwork and respect are just some of the values Football Passion tries to instill in all its players.
Website: www.footballpassion.com.sg
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Based on the Team Hope people in the video, Singapore a what is called a 1st world, HAS MANY HOMELESS PEOPLE.
Wow, even singapore qualifies to have this soccer event.
Actually, its a SHAME :
1. So small place.
2. So small population compared to all other 1st worlds.
Why ’so many homeless’?
Let there be Care for the People. The help needed to give to our homeless is so little compared to countries like USA, European ones, Japan, S.Korea, TW, erm basically any country i can think of.
So WHY?
I wonder if this soccer match is held in singapre, Which Honorable leader should be invited to watch the game of homeless singapore citizens?
Quite a remarkable effort, and I sincerely wish New Hope Community Service all the best! It is one thing to be analysing and criticising the government for the plight of the poor and the homeless (like what I and perhaps many others do), but it’s another to take action to help them.
Of course, this does not absolve the government of its responsibilities.
Gosh, unbelievable. A homeless team. It touches the heart, it spins the mind.
I was particularly impressed by the player who spoke in the video. He has no home, but he is in good spirits. And so was his wife. May they be blessed with better times.