Arsenal in the Community coach Team England ahead of Street Child World Cup

 
Tom Dutton28 March 2014

Arsenal in the Community have been working alongside nine local teenage girls in preparation for the Street Child World Cup, which kicks off in Brazil on Sunday.

The participants, who each have a history of homelessness or were forced from their homes as children, were selected by Islington council to feature in the second ever tournament of its kind.

But the 10-day event - which draws up to 250 children with troubled pasts from 19 different countries - is more than just a tournament and aims, along with charitable partner Save the Children, to provide a genuine platform for change.

In the build-up to the trip, Arsenal in the Community have conducted weekly coaching sessions for the participants ahead of their tournament-opener against Mozambique.

Jack Ferguson from Arsenal in the Community, who has been coaching the girls since October, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for the group to represent their country – not just by playing football, but by speaking out for vulnerable young people across the globe and challenge negative perceptions.

"The Club’s work through The Arsenal Foundation and through Arsenal in the Community is all about transforming lives and making a difference. Giving young people a chance and a voice to do something positive. This project with Street Child World Cup embodies this.”

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