Max Hatzoglou
The Community Soccer Hub based at Selwyn Park in Albion has partnered with the Australian Sports Foundation to try and raise funds for its program which aims to reduce the significant barriers to sport participation.
The hub was established in 2014 and has since grown to over 500 participants through its mix of casual and competitive soccer programs for junior and senior players.
Without the necessary funds over the years, the hub would not have been able to provide these opportunities to people of all ages and backgrounds in the community.
The funds have been able to reduce barriers such as access to transport, financial restraints, language barriers, lack of culturally sensitive facilities and lack of communication between mainstream sporting clubs and settlement organisations.
The hub is hoping to reach $50,000 to help cover the costs that are appearing from increased participation.
Currently, there has been over $2,000 dollars raised over 34 donations.
Community Soccer Hub founder and board member, Nuredin Hassan said he wanted to bridge the gap for new and emerging groups trying to play soccer.
“One of the main reasons why we wanted to establish it was because there was a lack of space for new and emerging groups to be able to create a club of their own,” Hassan said.
“We wanted to be able to provide a colocation model where we can provide a home, provide a space for lots of new and emerging groups to be able to play soccer, accommodating for lots of turn up and play style programming, and play it in the way in which they enjoy it.
Hassan said it gives the community a great opportunity to connect.
“The community soccer hub offers a welcoming place for people to play soccer and to meet other people in the local area,” he said.
“That aspect of Australian club culture is really unique and we want to be able to foster that for new and emerging communities, communities of an asylum seeker background, refugee-background, communities who are impacted by financial hardship and communities of a low socioeconomic background.
“We want to be able to provide them the same opportunities to be able to enjoy the sport that we all love and to do it in such a way that makes them feel welcome, included and connected.
Details: asf.org.au/projects/community-soccer-hub/
