Charity Spotlight: Representing Scotland at the Homeless World Cup

After arriving in the UK as a refugee, Mohamed spent several months in different homeless accommodations before being referred to LinkLiving. He then moved into one of LinkLiving’s supported training flats, giving him a more secure base from which to move forward.

The Homeless World Cup is an annual international tournament that uses football to tackle homelessness and social isolation. Players from around the world come together to celebrate the sport and highlight the issues surrounding homelessness. Through a referral to Street Soccer, a charity that supports people through football, Mohamed was able to join the Scotland squad.

Shortly after settling into his training flat, he travelled to Norway to take part in the tournament, competing against 500 players from 48 nations and helping Scotland achieve a 7th-place finish.

“I am really grateful for all the support,” Mohamed said. “I am progressing forward,” crediting LinkLiving and EYPS for helping him reach this point.

Sarah Smith, executive director of communities at Link Group, said: “This is exactly the kind of story that reflects what LinkLiving is all about. EYPS exists to give young people the stable foundations they need to build confidence and move forward in life. 

“We’re incredibly proud of Mohamed’s achievement and will continue to support him in both football and his future.” 

He is now studying full-time at Edinburgh College and working full-time to support himself. He continues to play football regularly with friends and for a semi-professional team. 

Although he has not yet moved into permanent accommodation, Mohamed hopes to do so soon with ongoing support from the Edinburgh Young Persons’ Service.

The Scottish Housing News Charity Spotlight feature highlights the vital work of charities across Scotland each Friday. To include your local charity, whether housing-related or not, send your story and images to us at newsdesk@scottishnews.com.