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!