The Big Issue in the North

This essay will concentrate on the Big Issue in the North (BIIN) which is part of a social business with the solution and support systems to help eradicate social problems and create opportunities for people “who have had a raw deal in life”,(Swithinbank,2001) empowering them to change their lives. The BIIN is a limited company employing staff to write, design and distribute the magazine. Vendors buy the magazine for one pound and sell it for two pounds, making a 100 per-cent profit. Some of this money must be re-invested into buying more magazines; the rest is kept by the vendor. In this way, despite being socially excluded, the vendor has a regular wage. This encourages people to make efforts to develop routine and stability and gives them opportunity to change their lives for the better. This essay will look at how the Big Issue partakes in current legislation; the history of the Big Issue; study the internal structure of the organisation and demonstrate how the Big Issue ensures effectiveness and manages constraints.

Every Government which has come into power has tried to eradicate homelessness, and lower crime rates. The 2002 Homelessness Act defined provisions that local councils, homeless agencies and housing associations have to follow to develop and help eradicate homelessness. Shelter says “it is glad the government has come round to its view that street homelessness is only the most visible form of homelessness” (Walker, 2002). As a result of these acts the BIIN in Liverpool partake in monthly meetings with other agencies such as the Whitechapel, Basement and Mental Health teams.

The Liverpool Homelessness Strategy 2008- 11, sets out how all stakeholders such as the BIIN will focus on prevention of homelessness ...

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...he ways staff overcomes this difficulty is by using internet resources, pictures and power phrasing words. In extreme circumstances staff can consult a translator, however this is expensive. Another constraint is staff storages which mean out of town vendors are not always monitored as often as city centre vendors. This could be managed by having a staff member once a month committed to out of town visits.

Finally this essay has shown how the BIIN gives homeless people the opportunity to earn an income it also gives them motivation and self-esteem and goes beyond just selling the magazine. This essay shows the BIIN works in partnership with many agencies by sharing information, by following government guidelines and offering people a “hand up instead of hand out”. The BIIN also demonstrates that all individuals should be included in society and be valued.