The Big Issue Foundation, support services.

The Big Issue Foundation

Unique relationship with vendors as they are not clients, as in some charities, but customers, as they buy the magazines from them and sell them on.

100% reliant on donations.

Mission: Connect vendors with the support they importantly need, giving personal solutions where can to aid them in finding their own way away from homelessness.


The Peoples Network

Provide Vendor with free sim card.  Allows free calls between Vendors, supporting a safer community.  Doubles the credit on topped up amounts.

Those in working situations, e.g. non homeless, can switch network provider to The Peoples Network and find that they are supporting vendors by giving 10% of their monthly contract to The Big Issue Foundation, and therefore vendors.  Network is called The Peoples Operator.


Create and Craft TV

Knitathon on novemeber the 8th.  Was televised by Create and Craft TV. Objective was to knit a square 6 inches by 6 inches.  National event and call up.  Could buy knitting packs from Create and Craft, £5 of which went to The Big Issue Foundation.

The Big Health

To provide vendors with information about nutrition, mental health, keeping warm in winter, sexual health, stopping smoking, first aid etc.  Supporting practitioners in this field provide free care and information.

British Red Cross: providing first aid advice and tips for helping on the pitch.


Events, Services and such, that The Big Issue Foundation supply:

Aspirations Week: Provides vendors with a week away from selling and helps to give them focus for long term goals.
Sales and money Week: maths support, Credit Union talk,
London to Paris cycle: fund raising.
Shelter Housing: support to vendors in housing set ups.
QCF qualification in customer care - Bournemouth Uni provided opportunity for vendor to learn and qualify in this.

Sam Spungold - particularly inspiring story shared of her journey to date from homelessness in her teens.  Gained such personal strength, knows what helps her stay on right path and how to plug on and keep progressing forward.  Gained various qualifications: LAMDA silver (?) and masters in creative writing in therapy, level 3 radio qualification and other acting qualificaitons.  Now written her own book and working on a screen play.  Message is of working hard, even if dont see results for a while - they will come. even if they dont, you go out fighting. such strength!


Strong themes coming through stories, how ever different:

HOPE, OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHANGE/BETTER LIFE, PURPOSE.


http://cs.mypbiz.com/the-big-issue/default.aspx