Against almost all odds, Britain's Homeless Journal has kept going for 30 years. This is no small feat! Streetsense takes a look at the legendary Journal.
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How do they do it? What is the secret of their success? What if anything are the future perspectives of the journal which supports the homeless in the United Kingdom- “The Big Issue?” For “The Big Issue” has been around for just over thirty years while other homeless newspapers have folded, floundered or just plain collapsed after a year or two.
“The Big Issue” was largely the brainchild of Sir John Bird and Gordon Roddick and launched in 1991. The fact that it received a start-up loan from 'The Body Shop' as well as much moral support and advise was crucial to a good beginning. Like the Body Shop, “The Big Issue” was viewed as a novel social business aimed not mainly at making a profit but serving good causes by helping the homeless and the poor get on their feet again. It also played a central educational role in informing people about views on the poor and homeless which were given insufficient coverage by the mainstream media which largely pursues the interests of big business. One of the dangers in founding any such newspaper is that it can become a hostage to sponsors and commercial interests…
Those commercial interests can dictate the contents of the newspaper. It can quickly lose its own voice—and become just another crass newspaper like other newspapers. It can easily water down contents—and even refuse to raise the issue of the homeless. This has been the fate of some of those newspapers in America!
At least “The Big Issue” still takes up the questions of the homeless and is critical of the unjust social system which abuses them. One recent issue offers a three-point plan which any government could plan to significantly alleviate the problems of poverty and homelessness in Britain. They write, “First build decent and affordable homes for everyone, second provide sustainable well aid green jobs, and thirdly end the low wage economy and invest in young people.” I can imagine a lot of people reading those proposals wishing 'If only Lord Bird was prime-minister! '
Despite the terrible toll of the Pandemic where vendors could not go out on the streets and sell their papers they somehow managed to find away round this problem by appealing for other sources of financial support via on-line subscriptions or special appeals. They asked supporters of the homeless to make donations via charity foundations and introduced special supermarket food vouchers the homeless might use.
The on-line revolution and advance of technology has constantly threatened the sales of the journal. For example, the circulation significantly fell from 2007 to 2011 and the present circulation stands at around 70,000. Nevertheless, the good news is this can be changed…
“The Big Issue” stated that “Since 2018, Big Issue has worked with Zettle by PayPal to improve digital inclusion and inclusion for our magazine sellers. In that time, more than 1,200 Big Issue vendors have been kitted out with contactless technology to keep them competitive in the High street. And last September, for the first time, cashless vendors accounted for more than half of all Big Issue sales.”
The decision to provide Big Issue vendors with free SIM Cards and devices which allow potential customers to pay on-line instead of cash is making a difference. Making cashless payments has turned out to be much more convenient, effective and attractive than cash. Paying by cash was actually deterring customers from buying it because many simply don't use cash any more or couldn't break up the money. A study revealed that on average vendors who use contactless technology make 35% more sales than those who don't. For example, a vendor based in Edinburgh, Stevie Paterson stated, "The O2 Sim meant I could set myself up on Zettle to accept contactless payments. It's how I sell half of my magazines.” Claudia ,who is 32 and works in Bath, claims she can now sell about double her magazines than when she previously relied on just cash payments. Claudia states, "If I didn't offer cashless I'd be selling 30 to 35 magazines a week. With the reader, now I'm selling 50 or 60 a week. The customers like it too. I've got lovely customers."
“The Big Issue” has managed to obtain a lot of exclusive interviews denied to other newspapers. Pople tend to trust “The Big Issue” more and like to lend support to boosting their sales. For instance, “The Big Issue” interviewed George Michael and even got the support of Prince William who agreed to go out and sell the Journal.
A key point which will allow “The Big Issue” to weather the current as well as future storms is to to keep up the innovating and becoming more flexible in drawing other sources of financial as well as social support. But can they accomplish this without compromising the integrity of the journal by not watering down its contents and becoming less outspoken? This is the crucial question.
“The Big Issue” mustn't give up its own original voice and become just like any other newspaper. Such a future scenario would be tragic!
“The Big Issue” works on the basis that a vendor might buy copies for the price of 2 pounds and sell them on the streets for around double the price. They are allowed to keep 50% of the income on sales. Does the price also make a difference over whether a person might buy? It might well do...
One woman who bought it informed me “I bought ‘The Big Issue’ the other day because it was back down to three pounds again. It is more affordable. So I will buy it more often now. I haven't bought it for ages because it went up at five pounds per issue for a while.”
When aksed when she had last read the magazine, she smiled and responded “I just read it today!
Initially the idea was that selling the newspaper would be mainly a temporary job to get by until another job came up. But many vendors wanted it to become a permanent job saying they enjoyed their work. The team of “The Big Issue” wanted people to purchase the newspaper for the quality of its contents and not only to help the homeless. It's not a hand out but a hand up!
However, it it is fair to say that the vendors are not just being helped but play a prominent role i assisting other people. They have struck up real friendships with people who buy their journal and enjoy great 'craic' or pleasant conversation….
They can offer some company and warm words of consolation to lonely and isolated people. They might also give advice to other homeless people who need aid! With their new devices they can help offer directions to people lost in the city.
People who have bought “The Big Issue” have managed to find work via the job advert column!
Perhaps the last word should go to a customer called Mary Hamilton who told me 'Just think, had it not been for ‘The Big Issue,’ then we might never have met. I saw an advert for TESOL in 1995 in “The Big Issue” and that is how I ended up in Moscow. You have the Big Issue to blame for having me as a friend!”