George Halkias
Community Leader & Sport for Development Advocate
A community leader, motivational speaker, and co-founder of the Big Issue Community Street Soccer Program, using sport to empower marginalised individuals and transform lives. He has led Australian teams at multiple Homeless World Cups worldwide, inspiring audiences to embrace teamwork, overcome adversity, and drive positive social change.
Quick Contact
George Halkias is a highly respected Australian community leader, motivational speaker, and sport-for-development advocate with nearly two decades of experience empowering vulnerable and marginalised people. With postgraduate qualifications in psychology, George began his career managing a state-wide support service for victims of violent crime and training police graduates in victim rights and support — work that laid the foundation for his lifelong commitment to social change.
George is best known as the co-founder of the Big Issue Community Street Soccer Program, which uses soccer to provide pathways for personal growth, social inclusion, and community building for homeless and marginalised individuals. Originating as a pilot in Melbourne’s public housing estates, the program has since expanded nationwide. He has coached and coordinated Australian teams at the Homeless World Cup in locations including Edinburgh, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Melbourne, Milan, Paris, Poznan, Glasgow, Oslo, Cardiff, Sacramento, and Seoul, supporting players both on the pitch and in navigating personal and social challenges off it.
A pivotal moment in George’s career was his role in bringing the 2008 Melbourne Homeless World Cup to life, securing corporate sponsorship and acting as the public face of the event, demonstrating the power of sport to address homelessness and social exclusion. His work has been profiled nationally on ABC’s Australian Story (“George’s Best”) and 60 Minutes Australia, particularly highlighting his leadership in the 2023 Homeless World Cup campaign in Seoul.
George is a recognised expert in sport for development, consulting to professional sporting clubs, associations, and government organisations on leveraging sport as a tool for social change. His contributions have been formally recognised through awards including the Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary, the UEFA Best Coaching Team Award (Cardiff 2019), the UEFA Coaches Awards (2006 and 2007), and accolades from Vicsport and the Victorian Government at the 2016 Victorian Sports Awards.
George’s professional journey, from working with victims of violent crime to leading an international social change movement through sport, has made him a compelling keynote speaker. His presentations inspire audiences to overcome adversity, embrace teamwork, and create positive change in both communities and workplaces, demonstrating that with support and the right mindset, anything is possible.
