Jordan's portrait captured by Andrew Diprose
Avid Hawthorn supporter Jordan is one of the seven Melbournians featured in Launch Housing's 'Raise the Roof' exhibition that launches this weekend.
Raise the Roof features seven large scale photography portraits captured by Andrew Diprose, with the purpose of humanising the issue of homelessness through the lens of a shared love of footy, to help break down the stigma of homesslessness, foster empathy and help build understanding.
By putting footy front and centre, the experience of homelessness takes a backseat - because it’s part of someone’s story, not their identity. To read all seven stories, click here.
Jordan is a passionate Hawthorn supporter who grew up loving footy, and has been involved in some capacity for the past eight years.
During his time experiencing homelessness, Jordan found a sense of community in his footy club.
"During my footy years, I was living in residential care or a youth foyer, so finding that sense of belonging was really important. It took me a while to find a club where I felt comfortable, but when I did, it was completely worth it."
He played community football with several clubs, most notably Donvale Football Club in the Eastern Football Netball League.
He also played RecLink footy for a couple of years, introduced through a residential care worker, and found that RecLink offered a completely different experience to his traditional footy clubs, one that was focused much more on inclusion and belonging.
"One highlight was playing against the Malmsbury Youth Detention team, which really humanised everyone involved and showed what RecLink could do for people," Jordan told AFL Victoria.
"For three years, I volunteered with Box Hill Hawks in the VFL. I'd grown up watching the Mustangs, so one day during pre-season I just rocked up and asked to volunteer.
"It was incredible seeing how professional athletes prepared and getting to know players – seeing the human side of the superstars I’d idolised growing up."
During his time as a volunteer at Box Hill Hawks, Jordan watched the seconds win the AFL Victoria Development League premiership and got to watch players like David Mirra, Sam Switkowski, and Sam Collins develop into AFL players through this pathway.
He was also involved in the launch of the 2016 Toyota AFL Finals Series through engagement from Reach and Whitelion Youth.
Jordan's biggest achievement in football was winning the premiership in his bottom age year of U19s. In over 100 community footy games, his favourite to play in were the thrillers that went down to the final moments.
His message for anyone who is currently involved in a community football club and experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity is simple - don't hesitate to reach out.
"Local clubs can be lifelines when you need them most. Don't hesitate to reach out – whether it's to a teammate, coach, or club volunteer. These people genuinely care and want to help. Trust your instincts about where you belong.
"If one club doesn't feel right, try another. With thousands of footy clubs across Australia, there's a place for everyone. It might take a few tries, but when you find your club – that group of people who've got your back – it can change everything."
The Raise the Roof exhibition officially launches on Friday 25 July from 5pm. Grab a ticket to the launch event or come along to the free exhibition along Birrung Marr this weekend.
CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS TO LAUNCH EVENT and more information.
The Raise the Roof exhibition will run for four weeks, from Friday 25 July through to the end of August.