The Global Network

When you purchase a copy of The Big Issue each week from your local Big Issue North vendor, you may not realise you are part of a bigger, global movement. 

For the past 30 years, Big Issue North has belonged to the International Network of Street Papers – INSP – a non-profit group dedicated to tackling poverty and homelessness globally. It does this by providing opportunities for people to earn an income and have their stories heard and understood. 

Street papers, like The Big Issue, are sold by people experiencing poverty, homelessness, or other forms of marginalisation. They work to give people an immediate, dignified, and legitimate way to earn money whilst seeking to address the causes of poverty through journalism, advocacy, and outreach. 

Street papers, like The Big Issue, work to give people an immediate, dignified, and legitimate way to earn money whilst seeking to address the causes of poverty through journalism, advocacy, and outreach. 

Since INSP’s launch in 1994, the network has grown to include almost 100 street papers worldwide, including The Big Issue, all with a shared mission to alleviate poverty. To date, these street papers have supported over 350,000 people in crisis to earn an income. 

Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of INSP, the annual Global Street Paper Summit is coming to Liverpool this September. The Summit is the flagship event for all street paper staff, owners, and supporters, providing an opportunity for those working directly to tackle poverty and homelessness to come together and learn from each other. 

“The reason we choose the city of Liverpool has been partly to do with the connections that colleagues at Big Issue North, who are part of INSP, have with the area, as well as the rich history of social justice within the city,” says Mike Findlay-Agnew, Chief Executive of INSP. “We have already gained much support from the business and cultural community in Liverpool.” 

Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of INSP, the annual Global Street Paper Summit is coming to Liverpool this September

With the increased prevalence of the poverty crisis, here in the UK and abroad, we need more solutions to meet the challenges. Our very purpose is to create positive change, particularly here in the North of England. This drive for change comes from an increased understanding of the issues people around us are facing, both locally and globally, while actively raising money to support those in need. 

Being part of a larger global movement has been particularly prevalent for us in the last few years as our vendor demographic has become increasingly diverse. We currently have vendors from countries including Romania, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Latvia, and Italy. For many people, becoming a Big Issue vendor is a starting point for creating positive, impactful changes in their lives. 

Marius sells The Big Issue in Macclesfield. He came to the UK from Romania, searching for employment. “When I arrived here, I was begging on the streets… but I saw someone selling [the magazine] and I thought I should try and do that,” he says. 

“I went to the local office, and they gave me some free magazines to help me start selling. I started connecting with selling the magazine and I started to love it. For me, it was a business. Because I was working, I could rent a place and at last, I had a roof over my head. Then I met my wife and so my life started. Now I have a family. Big Issue North has helped me so much. It has given me hope.” 

Our drive for change comes from an increased understanding of the issues people around us are facing, both locally and globally, while actively raising money to support those in need. 

Tackling poverty is one thing, but helping people like our vendors to lead healthy, stable lives forms the largest part of the work we do. We reinvest every penny we make into services and products that can further support our vendors, encouraging them to access what they need to make important life changes. 

This includes assistance with housing, applying for training and educational courses, setting up bank accounts, and contacting health providers. We also work to equip our vendors with card readers to enable them to take cashless payments.  

All our vendors are hardworking people who are trying to create better lives for themselves and their families. Like other street papers, we aim to continue to offer people the chance to earn an income by selling the magazine on the streets and to support them as best we can.  

Read more about the upcoming INSP Global Summit here. 

To learn more about the INSP and global street papers, visit www.insp.ngo. 

Find out more about how you can support Big Issue North and our vendors here: Support Big Issue North – Big Issue North

Photo credit: INSP – Together, we’re tackling poverty and homelessness