Suncream and not sweating the small stuff: tournament tips from Homeless World Cup international volunteers
|Homeless World Cup Volunteers in Mexico 2018. Image: Anita Milas
Organisers and volunteers alike bid each other a familiar “see you next year” farewell as they began their homeward journeys from the Cardiff 2019 Homeless World Cup. There wasn’t at the time any indication that it would actually be three years before everyone saw each other again.
“I have also missed having sore cheeks from smiling all the time—everyone involved is so happy and jubilant for the entire tournament.”
Organisers and volunteers alike bid each other a familiar “see you next year” farewell as they began their homeward journeys from the Cardiff 2019 Homeless World Cup. There wasn’t at the time any indication that it would actually be three years before everyone saw each other again.
“We just didn’t want to cancel it,” Homeless World Cup co-founder Mel Young says of the pandemic-induced shelving of the 2020 tournament.
“Of course, now we know what’s happened. But at the time, we didn’t know what was going on. Nobody knew in the world, and what the implications were. So I think like a lot of people we went into denial: ‘Ok, well this is going to last for a couple of days or weeks and then things will just happen again.’ Then, of course, despite our optimism—because we have to be an optimistic organisation—despite that, the difficult conclusion from our side …was to halt the 2020 event.”
That was a weighty decision given it involved cancelling an event that isn’t just fun—it changes people’s lives. Many of the volunteers would attest to that—and that the Homeless World Cup and all the good it entails have been dearly missed. (“It’s become a kind of family,” Young says of the connections the Homeless World Cup fosters. “You know you’re involved in a movement or in an initiative that’s having major impact … You get this kind of adrenaline shot [from being part of the tournament]—this should last me 12 months.”)
With that in mind, we asked some experienced Homeless World Cup volunteers what they’re most looking forward to in, and tips for what volunteers need to bring to, this post-pandemic tournament.
What are you most looking forward to with the Homeless World Cup return? What have you most missed?
Isobel Irvine (Writer and Editor): “When lockdown happened I felt total panic—it was so close to the 2020 event in Finland [that was eventually cancelled] I worried what would happen to all those who had built expectations to take part in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. How would the various Member Countries keep contact with players and make sure they were ok and, as the months turned to years, would the organisations themselves be able to continue the vital work that I’d seen make such a difference?
“On a personal level, I really missed the annual buzz of working together with dedicated, skilled colleagues from across the globe on a shared passion. The Homeless World Cup saves lives—those who play and many of those behind the scenes. It was my saviour in 2016 when everything nosedived for various reasons and I’ll never be able to repay the lifeline I was thrown, when I was welcomed onboard in Glasgow, treated with respect and given purpose. It goes without saying I’ll miss the people who, since 2019, are no longer with us, especially referee Hary Milas, who could not have been a more kind human and stellar ambassador for the Homeless World Cup.”
Iain McGill (Head Referee): “It’s great we’re back! We’ve been having tasters of it. The refs team has been reffing tournaments in Scotland and Poland and Romania and the Netherlands and India, and running courses developing and training players giving them a pathway to the world of refereeing, but the Homeless World Cup is the big one. We’re just excited to see our friends again, and to make new ones as we inevitably do every year.”
Benjamin Brekke-Nærstad (Head of Sports): “I’m looking forward to meeting all of my good friends who turn up at the Homeless World Cup year after year, and also to meeting a bunch of potential new friends from around the world. I’ve missed the companionship and spirit of the tournament.”
Isobel Conway (Guest Relations Manager): “I’m so looking forward to meeting old friends I see annually in person or regularly via social media. These are people whose paths possibly wouldn’t have crossed with mine but I’m so glad, and incredibly blessed, that they did. I have missed being part of the most inspirational group of people, whether that be staff, teams, volunteers—each and every one brings something so special and isn’t afraid to share their heart. There are no words to adequately describe the Homeless World Cup family, and I include those I have yet to meet in Sacramento. We are bonded in a common determination to make the event the best ever—making memories to cherish and to last a lifetime for each and every individual.”
Patrick Kelly (Scores Manager): “I have missed being part of something that feels special. The inclusive, welcoming, family-feeling camaraderie within the volunteers and staff that helps us all pull together to provide an amazing experience for everyone involved in the event. I have also missed having sore cheeks from smiling all the time—everyone involved is so happy and jubilant for the entire tournament. Smiling is absolutely infectious at the tournament [in a way] that I’ve never experienced elsewhere!”
Homeless World Cup Volunteers Izzy Irvine and Izzy Conway
What have you most learnt from the pandemic that will inform your experience in/what you bring to the 2023 Homeless World Cup?
Isobel Irvine: “Without a doubt patience, focus, and that what’s worthwhile isn’t ‘stuff’ but people, communication, teamwork and the priceless value of shared experiences.”
Anita Milas (Photographer): “I’ve learnt that you really have to enjoy the journey every day. Don’t sweat the little things, and be grateful for every moment. The pandemic allowed me to work from home and care for [my husband and referee] Hary, but as we had the five-kilometre lockdown, we couldn’t even drive to a beach or forest in his last months, let alone travel anywhere. The travel ban was lifted a week after he passed. It was cruel. I did learn, though, that your career can change on a dime. Football just stopped, and I was lucky and grateful to have been working with a club that had the funds to keep me on and work around things. Now, I am trying to educate myself and stay relevant in a variety of jobs. I’ve learnt to pivot to survive.”
George Halkias (Australian Coach): “Probably the learnings from our programs—as much as I love the sport and it’s a crucial component, human connection is the critical component.” George and his team moved the street soccer program to Zoom and phone calls, text messages, and social media. “It was built on the program and the football, but it was really about the connections and the respect we’d created previously. It was about that social connection—a pandemic couldn’t stop it.”
Michel van Oudheusden (Referee): “The thing I’ve most missed during the pandemic is cuddling with friends, acquaintances and family. I think we’ve learnt that we all need a hug from time to time.”
Iain McGill: “My language skills improved during the pandemic, so that should help in an international tournament like ours!”
Hossam Khedr (Team Liaison): “The pandemic has been tough, and we’ve sadly lost a couple of friends along the way. So, I want to make sure I take the time to hear and learn from each person I get to hang out with.”
Isobel Conway: “The pandemic has made so many of us, including me, sit back, regroup and take stock. I learnt I can actually thrive with my own company and actually enjoy it! Go me, eh?! I helped with local community groups assisting the more vulnerable and it just brought back a sense of caring and community that most of us sadly lost along the generations. I hoped it would continue, and to a degree it has, and that makes me happy. I have also learnt that it’s often the simplest of things that can make all the difference—a smile to a stranger, soup and a sandwich delivered to a vulnerable neighbour, allowing yourself to say, ‘Help, I need a hand here, I’m struggling’ doesn’t make you weak. It is, in fact, a very brave thing to do.”
Kate McCheyne (Communications Professional and Volunteer staff): “One of the major things I have learnt from the pandemic is just to really appreciate the real things that matter in life. Having been involved in the Homeless World Cup for several years now, I have had a greater understanding of how hard life can be for those who are homeless or facing challenges in their lives. I think the pandemic escalated and magnified a lot of already existing inequalities. It’s made me very grateful for what I do have.”
Patrick Kelly: “I think the biggest thing everyone has learnt is to cherish every moment and think positively on everything and everyone. You never know when things, events, people, experiences and opportunities can be taken away from you. That was really apparent during the pandemic but is also true now!”
Some of us are a bit rusty when it comes to travelling internationally. What would you recommend people pack/prepare/expect, especially if it’s their first time at the tournament?
Isobel Irvine: “Don’t overpack. Bring comfy trainers and cushioned liners/short socks, blister plasters, suncream and lip salve, a well-worn cap and sunglasses. Remember your chargers and passport—and to take them away when you leave. Prepare to enjoy another life-changing experience—and expect exactly that!”
Benjamin Brekke-Nærstad: “Remember to check the expiration date on your passport. And be sure to bring a camera so that you can document the experience. It’s always good to have something to look back to when the tournament is finished.”
Anita Milas: “One of the tricks I’ve learnt in having electronic equipment that constantly needs charging is to take an international adapter that fits onto a six-pack power board. Also, let the banks know that you’re travelling. Get some cash out for the destination country. Let the phone provider know, although with wi-fi everywhere it’s less of a problem. Read up on the do’s and don’ts about the culture. (I have to read about what tipping percentage is correct.) Keep important stuff and two changes of clothes in your carry-on in case your luggage goes astray. (I’m packing an apple tag into my suitcase, one for my camera case and one for my passport wallet.) [Keep a] hardcopy of your passport and documents as well as electronic …”
Michel van Oudheusden: “If I have to advise people to take things with them on holiday, it is definitely a lot of love, pleasure and fun because before you know it will be too late to enjoy life. Quite a few friends and acquaintances lost their lives during the pandemic, but life goes on and has to go on, so a piece of very good advice is: Enjoy every day and minute that you can be here on this earth. Enjoy the people around you because it can be over just like that.”
Isobel Conway: “Pack your wit, your heart and soul, determination and suncream—you won’t go far wrong! People should expect the unexpected, and they won’t be far off the mark as absolutely nothing that compares with the Homeless World Cup and our family, which grows and grows with every tournament.”
George Halkias: “There’s the anxiety of not having travelled for many years. Many of our players haven’t flown before. It’s up to us to show them there’s so much love, so much care. In those two weeks, there’s going to be lots of support. There’s lots of challenges, but lots of learnings and fun and great moments they’ll experience.”
Mel Young: “My mantra to myself in terms of travelling: Do not stress. Just stand in the line. It will work out … Just get to the airport early. Just chill out.”
Iain McGill: “I’m going to pack a smile, a whistle, and buy my sunscreen when I arrive—it’s gonna be hot, hot, hot …”
Hossam Khedr: “Pack a lot of patience—airports are much busier. Stay open-minded, and remain flexible if things don’t go exactly as planned. Expect the best experience ever at the Homeless World Cup 2023. It is the 20th anniversary and it will be packed with fun.”
Patrick Kelly: “From my position mostly holed up in the tent on a computer I think the most important things to have are suncream and snacks. These are the things the volunteers and staff share and bond over in the tent. You also definitely need a rain jacket too—for the inevitable one day [of rain], even in Mexico! I think beyond that the team will always look after everyone else and rally around to make sure everyone has what they need.”
Words: Fred Crawford
Images: Anita Milas