Highlights from our News Service

The cover of Chicago street paper StreetWise

• International vendors were the real stars in many street papers around the world this month. Following the INSP Vendor Special, life stories of street paper sellers got republished from Hamburg to Ohio.

• Chicago street paper StreetWise dedicated an entire edition to INSP. Under the banner 'News around the world with INSP', the special edition featured stories from colleague papers across the globe.

• Street papers across the US and Europe wrote about war veterans. BISS in Munich, Germany republished an article from their colleagues at Ireland's Big Issue, about an ex-soldier all too familiar with the problems that can arise upon leaving the army. Following the local coverage, SNS produced a Special Report on the topic of homeless war veterans, which got republished widely.

INSP online

Over the next couple of months, we will be making big improvements to our online presence - both for INSP members and for the general public.

Here's what's on offer so far. You can:

• 'Like' INSP's public Facebook page - This is for anyone who wants to keep up to date with news from INSP and the world of street papers.
• Join INSP's closed Facebook member group - This is a closed group for street paper staff only. It is to replace the online forums on the INSP website. If you are a Facebook user, you can request to join the group (top right hand corner) and we'll approve you a.s.a.p. Then you can also add your colleagues and street paper friends from around the world.
• Follow @_INSP on Twitter
• Follow @Hotels4Change on Twitter

Look out for improvements to the INSP website and the News Service website over the next couple of months!

StreetWise dedicates edition to INSP

Chicago street paper StreetWise dedicated an entire edition to INSP. Under the banner 'News around the world with INSP', the special edition featured stories from colleague papers across the globe. In an inspiring Editorial, Executive Editor Jim LoBianco explained how StreetWise sister papers aim to raise awareness.

Below is the full text of the Editorial:

The vision of Street­Wise magazine is to be Chicago-centric and socially conscious. Every week the edito­rial staff does an excel­lent job providing fresh coverage of im­portant events in and around Chicago. We try to give our readers an apprecia­tion for the struggles that those Chica­goans trapped in a cycle of poverty face every day, whether it be homelessness, unemployment, domestic abuse, or one of the many other stressors that add to the burden of poverty.

While focusing on Chicago is core to the magazine's mission, the staff also in­cludes, in almost every edition, stories from across the country and around the world. We at StreetWise feel it is equally important to give our readers a perspec­tive on the similarities and the differ­ences on the issue of poverty in Chicago as compared to near and far.

In this week's edition we are excited to dedicate the entire magazine to sto­ries outside of Chicago. With the world economy in such crisis, we thought it important to specifically highlight how men, women and children in other cit­ies and nations are coping. From riots in Greece to protests in Moscow to the Occupy demonstrations going on in cit­ies all over the U.S., the issues of poverty and economic justice are on the minds of citizens in every city of every nation.

Thanks to our partner association, the International Network of Street Papers (INSP), we have seven great stories to share:

• Cape Town, South Africa, "Reflections on Youth" by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
• Washington D.C., "U.S. Poverty: Living on less than $4.50 a day"
• Chilanga, Zambia - "Pallia­tive AIDS care in Zambia"
• The Philippines - "Vendor provides for her Family"
• St. Petersburg, Russia - "A Day in the life of a Vendor"
• Nashville - "Vending on Nashville streets"
• Poland - "Vendor captures Krakow"

INSP members maintain the Street News Service, which every week cir­culates stories from affiliate newspapers and magazines in the same manner as the Associated Press, United Press In­ternational or Reuters.

At StreetWise we recognize that the experiences of our clients/vendors are not happening in a bubble. The pitfalls, roadblocks and tragedies that the men and women of StreetWise face daily are mirrored by vendors at our 100-plus sister papers in 40 nations around the globe. We hope you enjoy our Inter­national Edition, and that it brings you closer to life of a person in need, re­gardless of whether that person is hun­dreds of miles away or thousands.

To view a selection of StreetWise's special INSP pages, click here.

Die Chicagoer Straßenzeitung "StreetWise" widmete dem INSP eine ganze Ausgabe. Unter dem Motto "Nachrichten aus der ganzen Welt mit dem INSP" erschienen in dieser Spezialausgabe Artikel von Kollegen von überallher. In seinem inspirierenden Leitartikel erklärte der leitende Redakteur Jim LoBianco, wie die Schwesterzeitungen von "StreetWise" versuchen, auf die Probleme von Obdachlosen aufmerksam zu machen.

Im Anschluss finden Sie den vollständigen Text des Leitartikels:

Die Vision des Magazins "StreetWise" ist es, sich auf Chicago zu konzentrieren und das soziale Bewusstsein zu stärken. Jede Woche leisten die Mitglieder der Redaktion großartige Arbeit, die darin besteht, über wichtige Ereignisse in und um Chicago aktuell zu berichten. Wir versuchen, unseren Lesern eine realistische Vorstellung von den Kämpfen zu vermitteln, denen die Chicagoer, die in einem Kreislauf der Armut gefangen sind, jeden Tag gegenüberstehen - egal ob es sich dabei um Obdachlosigkeit, Arbeitslosigkeit, Missbrauch oder einen der vielen anderen Stressfaktoren handelt, die die Last der Armut vergrößern. 

Während es zum Kern der Mission des Magazins gehört, dass wir den Fokus auf Chicago legen, schließen unsere Redakteure auch in fast jeder Ausgabe Artikel aus dem ganzen Land oder der ganzen Welt mit ein. Wir hier bei "StreetWise" denken, dass es genau so wichtig ist, unseren Lesern zu vermitteln, dass das Problem der Armut in Chicago im Vergleich zu anderen Orten oder Ländern - nah oder fern - Ähnlichkeiten und Unterschiede aufweist.

Wir freuen uns sehr, dass wir in der Ausgabe für diese Woche das ganze Magazin Geschichten widmen konnten, die sich außerhalb Chicagos ereignet haben. Da die Weltwirtschaft mit solch riesigen Problemen zu kämpfen hat, hielten wir es für wichtig, besonders zu betonen wie Männer, Frauen und Kinder in anderen Städten und Ländern diese Krise bewältigen. Von den Krawallen in Griechenland über die Proteste in Moskau bis zu den Demonstrationen der "Occupy"-Bewegung, die in Städten überall in den USA stattfinden: Armut und wirtschaftliche Gerechtigkeit beschäftigen Bürger jeder Stadt und jeder Nation.

Dank unseres Partners, des Internationalen Netzwerks der Straßenzeitungen (INSP), können wir sieben großartige Artikel mit Ihnen teilen:

• Kapstadt, Südafrika - "Nachdenken über die Jugend" von Erzbischof Desmond Tutu
• Washington, D.C. - "Armut in den USA: Leben von weniger als 4.50 Dollar am Tag"
• Chilanga, Sambia - "Palliative Pflege von AIDS-Kranken in Sambia"
• Die Philippinen - "Straßenzeitungs-Verkäuferin verdient Geld für ihre Familie"
• St. Petersburg, Russland - "Ein Tag im Leben eines Straßenzeitungs-Verkäufers"
• Nashville - "Als Verkäufer auf den Straßen von Nashville"
• Polen - "Ein Verkäufer erobert Krakau"

Mitglieder des INSP halten den Street News Service aufrecht, der jede Woche Artikel von Partner-Zeitungen und -Magazinen austauscht - ähnlich wie andere Nachrichtenagenturen wie Associated Press, United Press International oder Reuters. 

Hier bei "StreetWise" sind wir uns darüber bewusst, dass die Erfahrungen unserer Kunden und Verkäufer nicht in einem Vakuum stattfinden. Die Fallstricke, Hindernisse und Tragödien, denen die Männer und Frauen von "StreetWise" täglich gegenüberstehen, werden von den Verkäufern unserer mehr als 100 Schwesterzeitungen in 40 Ländern auf der ganzen Welt genau so erlebt. Wir hoffen, dass Ihnen unsere internationale Ausgabe gefällt, und dass sie Sie einem Menschen, der Sie braucht, näherbringt, egal ob dieser Mensch Hunderte oder Tausende von Kilometern entfernt lebt. 

Um eine Auswahl der besonderen INSP-Seiten von "StreetWise" zu sehen, klicken Sie hier.

New Hungarian homeless law could mean the end for Flaszter

A new law came into force Hungary in November last year, making rough sleeping punishable with a fine of up to HUF 150.000 (roughly £400). Read more from the BBC.

Ildikó Gyergyói, Executive Director of  Flaszter in Budapest, wrote to INSP today to explain the situation facing their street paper.

He said that it is now no longer possible sell anything on the street without a license and that the authorities have refused to make an exception for street newspapers. Anyone caught selling on the streets without a licence will face a HUF 15.000 (£40) fine, or face community service or prison if they are unable to pay.

Although some of Hungary's more rural areas are more tolerant of homeless people, Flaszter's sales in these areas cannot sustain the project. 

Ildikó Gyergyói said "Unless there is a change in the law and in Hungarian social politics, we can see no way to sustain Flaszter and support our vendors". 

Digital street paper project

The way we consume media is changing and street papers face the same challenges as the mainstream press - customers switching from print to digital.

But street papers also face a unique problem: unlike mainstream press that can sell pure digital access via online payments, it is essential for street papers to retain the vendor transaction – i.e. customers buying a physical product from a seller on the street.

Our proposed solution will allow street vendors to offer their customers two options – print and digital – priced identically. The digital version would be sold on a card, each one carrying a unique QR code which could be scanned on compatible devices. Readers could then read their digital edition on their smartphone, tablet or computer. 

INSP has secured funding from the Esmee Fairbarin Foundation to develop the required software and systems to run a six-month pilot scheme with one street paper (The Big Issue in the North), commencing later this year.

If successful, we hope that the digital model will be attractive to many of the other street papers around the world. Indeed, with a global street paper readership in excess of 6 million, the concept has scope longer term to become one of the world’s largest paid digital media platforms.  

New distribution office for Asphalt

Last year, Hannover street paper Asphalt opened a new distribution office, just a few minutes away from their editorial office.

Their new office gives them far more space and is also on ground level with wheelchair access - making it accessible for disabled vendors.

Vendor profiles remain popular in street papers

Megaphon, Austria, feature Vitalty's story

Following the INSP Vendor Special, life stories of street paper sellers got republished from Hamburg to Ohio.

German street paper Hinz&Kunzt featured a selection of vendors from colleague papers on its website, whilst American paper StreetVibes touched its readers with the 'Old and Soggy Christmas Story' written by one of the oldest vendors in the INSP network: Ken (83) from Australia.

Ken, 83, tells his Christmas story
in StreetVibes

Vendor Vitalty from Russian street paper Put Domoi was the star of international street papers from Germany to the UK. He featured in the latest Manchester editon of The Big Issue in the North (see the clipping here), as well as in German street papers Freieburger (see the clipping here), Soziale Welt and Die Jerusalëmmer. Austrian street paper Megaphon also ran the story.

Vitaly's story was also published in the Chicago-based street paper StreetWise. See the clipping here. Other American street papers that published Vitaly's story include Street Roots and Real Change.

FREIeBURGER, Germany

His story was also ran in other European street papers including Straatnieuws in The Netherlands, Megaphon in Austria, Sorgenfri in Norway and Ireland's Big Issue. Many congratulations to both Put Domoi and Vitaly for some fantastic republications in no less than 11 street papers across the globe!

Internationale Verkäufer waren in vielen Straßenzeitungen auf der ganzen Welt in diesem Monat die wirklichen Stars. Nach der Veröffentlichung des INSP Verkäufer-Spezials wurden die Lebensgeschichten von Straßenzeitungsverkäufern von Hamburg bis nach Ohio gedruckt. 

The Big Issue in the North, UK

Die deutsche Straßenzeitung Hinz&Kunzt brachte eine Auswahl von Geschichten über Verkäufer der Kollegenzeitungen auf ihrer Website, während die amerikanische Straßenzeitung StreetVibes ihre Leser mit der Geschichte "Eine nasse Weihnacht", die von einem der ältesten Verkäufer im INSP-Netzwerk, Ken (83) aus Australien, geschrieben worden war, rührte. Sehen Sie den Ausschnitt hier. 

Die Straßenzeitung "The Big Issue in the North" aus dem Vereinigten Königreich brachte die Geschichte eines Verkäufers einer Partnerzeitung in ihrem Magazin. Der russische Verkäufer Vitaly war der Star ihrer neuesten Ausgabe. Den Artikel sehen Sie hier.

Germany's Hinz & Kunzt

Whats Up Magazine in the press

Whats Up vendors Kenneth Compton,La Maar Williams
and Ed Little

Whats Up Magazine (St. Louis, Missouri) are facing challenges at the moment and are aiming to raise $5000. The Riverfront Times recently featured this article to help them spread the word.

Reports on homeless war veterans published from Ireland to Germany

Street papers across the US and Europe have written about war veterans over the past years. Street paper BISS in Munich, Germany republished this article from their colleagues at Ireland's Big Issue, about an ex-soldier all too familiar with the problems that can arise upon leaving the army.

German street paper BISS' reprint

Following the local coverage, SNS produced a Special Report on the topic of homeless war veterans in November. Street papers who have not yet published (part of the) report are encouraged to do so to draw attention to this alarming development.

Straßenzeitungen überall in den USA und Europa haben in den vergangenen Jahren über Kriegsveteranen geschrieben. Die Straßenzeitung BISS aus München brachte diesen Artikel ihrer Kollegen von Ireland's Big Issue über einen ehemaligen Soldaten, dem die Probleme, die entstehen können, wenn man die Armee verlässt, nur zu bekannt sind.

Der örtlichen Berichterstattung folgend produzierte der SNS im November einen Spezial-Report zum Thema obdachlose Kriegsveteranen. Straßenzeitungen, die diesen Report oder auch Teile dieses Reports noch nicht veröffentlicht haben, möchten wir hiermit dazu ermutigen, um auf diese alarmierende Entwicklung aufmerksam zu machen.

The Big Issue UK launches new-look magazine

The new-look Big Issue UK hit the streets this week. Read here the Editorial from editor-in-chief Paul McNamee:

"There has been much written and talked about in recent times about the terminal decline of print. Change is blowing in, of course, but at The Big Issue we believe in a future for words and pictures on paper.

It’s why we exist. In order to provide the homeless and vulnerably housed with a legitimate way of making a living we need to produce a magazine that they can take to sell on the street.

And there is much to be said for the pleasure of leafing through your favourite title, for having it around to pick up and pass to friends, to rip out bits you like and get angry at the bits you don’t.

If we’re going to have a magazine, we thought, let’s make it mighty. We’ve taken the best elements of what we had before and amplified them.

The Big Issue has been around for 20 years. We’ve worked to create a magazine that can carry us into the next 20.

Everything is changed from the first to the last page. We’ve got some great new columnists who’ll make themselves known over the next number of weeks. We start with Britain’s most controversial footballer Joey Barton and the fearless, urbane Sam Delaney who slays Sherlock (imagine!).

At the magazine’s heart, and on the cover, we ask a question that has been skirted around in recent times – what is the news doing to us? Leveson has been taking a moral stand and will prove to be a watershed for the news industry.

We’re not about pointing fingers. A robust and truculent press is essential. But in the midst of the blame game the effect on the mental wellbeing of every one of us of a news media hyped to bring fear and paranoia has not been considered. It’s a fascinating piece.

Incidentally, we’ve also worked to relaunch our website. Have a look around, and see what we’ve done with the place.

We will be irreverent, provocative and independent-minded. We aim to be at the helm of highbrow populism – a magazine and website with weight and insight and also with wit and readability.

This is your Big Issue."

Various UK media covered the launch of the redesigned magazine, including Design Week, who reviewed the new magazine on their website.

A request from our partners in Greece

Chris Alefantis is the coordinator of the 'Kick Off Poverty' campaign in Greece and the manager of the Greek Homeless Football Team that takes part in the Homeless World Cup every year since 2007. He has also been working hard to establish a street paper in Greece.

He has requested some resources and promotional material from INSP members, to use in a series of events to raise awareness of the street paper movement among the Greek public.

INSP members can click here (Member Facebook group) to view the full post from Chris, and are asked to respond by the 28th February.

INSP has moved office

As of today, INSP is
based at a new office:

200 Renfield Street

Glasgow

G2 3QB

UK

Email: info(at)street-papers.org
Phone: +44 (0)141 302 6552

Staff contact details:

Lisa Maclean: l.maclean(at)street-papers.org
+44 (0)141 302 6551

Maree Aldam: m.aldam(at)street-papers.org
+44 (0)141 302 6552

Helen Harvey: h.harvey(at)street-papers.org
+44 (0)141 302 6553

Danielle Batist: d.batist(at)street-papers.org
+44 (0)141 302 6554

Street News Service: sns(at)street-papers.org
+44 (0)141 302 6554

Sven Mangels (Training & Development Manager - Africa): s.mangels(at)street-papers.org
Office (South Africa): +27 (0)214616690 Mobile (South Africa): +27 (0)793023869
Mobile (Kenya): + 254 (0)701857016 Mobile (Nigeria): +234 (0)8168959846

Great news from Macadam

After a year of ambition and hard work, Macadam had 3 bits of of amazing New Year news:

1. They signed an agreement with the City for the hiring a team of sales employees
2. They recruited a project manager - Anne-Claire
3. They signed a contract with a social housing project for a new office based in the heart of Paris. 

It looks like 2012 will be their year! Congratulations!