Health kicks - homeless street league Louth
Using sport to improve health literacy in Louth
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The project partners were:
Healthy Louth, Louth county council
Irish homeless street leagues
About this project
This project combined sport and health literacy supports in safe, structured settings to help people experiencing homelessness or addiction recovery.
It used football as a gateway to engage adults who may not take part in formal education or health services.
The course combined
sport,
health promotion,
literacy,
numeracy,
mental health awareness, and
social inclusion in one informal model.
Local authorities, homeless services, football clubs, health services, education providers and community organisations worked together to deliver the course.
Each partner contributed specialist expertise, facilities, coaching, health literacy content or learner supports.
More about this project
The project took place in person through a 32-week football programme in Dundalk and a 10-week football programme in Drogheda. Coaches ran the football sessions in Dundalk and Drogheda, which were followed by workshops and information sessions.
Healthy Food Made Easy was delivered as a six-week programme and featured guest speakers Oisín McConville and Joanne O’Dwyer.
Positive impacts included improved
physical health,
confidence,
social connections,
health awareness,
literacy/numeracy engagement , and
reduced isolation.