Fay will lead the INSP Board as they work closely with the Chief Executive to form the strategic direction of the organisation. She has been on the Board since August 2013.
As Chief Executive of The Big Life group, Fay leads the organisation that publishes The Big Issue in the North – one of the INSP’s two UK street papers, alongside The Big Issue.
Set up in 2002, The Big Life group works across the north of England to deliver a range of services and opportunities to the area’s most excluded people. As well as producing The Big Issue in the North, it also provides primary care and mental health services, family intervention, childcare, schools, employment and supported housing. Fay won the Social Enterprise Leader Award in 2011.
Fay said: “I am really honoured to take on the role of Chair and look forward to working with colleagues at INSP over the next few years.”
Fay takes over from Canadian street paper veteran Serge Lareault, who has been INSP Chair since 2006. Serge left Montréal’s L’Itinéraire in July, after 20 years with the street paper, latterly serving as CEO.
He will continue to support the street paper movement as Honorary President of INSP, taking over from former Editor-in-Chief of Reuters News, David Schlesinger. David Schlesinger will continue to support INSP through his role on the advisory board.
Serge said: “I am very proud of our accomplishments at INSP over the last eight years. Fay Selvan will continue this development work brilliantly and I will be happy, as Honorary President, to continue to support our street papers and our movement.”
Maree Aldam, INSP Chief Executive said: “We are very happy to welcome Fay Selvan as INSP’s new Chair.
“Working with Fay, INSP will continue to support and develop street papers around the world and to champion social business as a practical and powerful way to address homelessness and poverty.
“We are currently working towards our two major annual events: #VendorWeek, our global celebration of street paper sellers, which takes place from 2-8 February; and our annual conference, which will bring together street paper experts in Seattle in June next year.
“We also continue to run INSP’s unique News Service, which shares content produced by our network and our in-house team to strengthen the content of worldwide street papers.
“The entire INSP team and network would like to offer a huge thank you to Serge for his inspirational leadership of INSP. We have been very lucky to have him.
“We would also like to thank David Schlesinger for his valuable support for INSP.”
