The Big Issue Celebrates Strategic Partnership
13 April 2004 at 1:04 pm
The Big Issue, the magazine that assists the homeless and long-term unemployed, is celebrating its 200th edition in Australia as well as a strategic partnership in Victoria that will see it sold in regional centres for the first time.
The partnership is between The Big Issue and the Victorian government’s Community Support Fund with the aid of a $300,000 grant.
As a result The Big Issue is establishing a sales and support network to service regional Victoria and will begin recruiting vendors in areas such as Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Dandenong.
Many regional areas experience unemployment rates above the metropolitan average and this program is a new avenue for addressing unemployment among the most disadvantaged in our community.
The Big Issue is an independent current affairs magazine sold in cities and towns throughout Australia by homeless and long-term unemployed people seeking to positively change their lives.
It exists to help vendors earn their own income; they buy magazines for $1.50 and sell them for $3. Victoria will be the first state to see its unique benefits flow to regional centres. The Big Issue Australia has a fortnightly issue circulation of up to 17,000.
The Australian version of the magazine was launched in 1996, and is part of a global network of street papers. The Big Issue itself began in 1992 in Britain, where it currently sells over 300,000 copies per week and is one of the world’s most recognisable magazines.
The chairperson of The Big Issue Australia, Graeme Wise, who helped set up the publication through The Body Shop says The Big Issue enjoys support from all sectors of the community, and welcomes this new partnership as an opportunity to assist even more people in our state.
Since its inception, The Big Issue has assisted over 850 people throughout Australia to find a job.
