The regional work of INSP has increased dramatically since the first lockdown as solidarity and connection have become more important than ever. That has overwhelmingly been the case in Latin America, as INSP’s tight knit group of publications have battled through adversity to continue their work. This is an overview of the region’s street papers.

Alejandro Peña left his beloved home country of Venezuela with a heavy heart. Living in a country mired in crisis was a nightmare; it was impossible to have hopes and dreams for the future. Faced with uncertainty about what the future would hold, Peña felt his only option was to flee and seek refuge elsewhere. This is his story.

‘Empowering The Poor: Street Newspapers and their Global Impact’ was panel hosted by the Society of Journalists on Wednesday 18 August. Moderated by founder of Real Change and INSP board member Tim Harris, the discussion included members of staff from INSP and its associated member publications. Watch the panel again here.

The Big Issue took stock of how coronavirus is affecting the world’s homeless community, providing another update on just how severely the spread of the virus is impacting street papers and the people for which they provide an income.

To mark the end of INSP’s 25th anniversary year, we have been asking vendors across the street paper network to write a letter to their 25-year-old self. Four Mi Valedor vendors contributed to the #VendorLetters series, one of which chose to write something more poetic.

The Big Issue has been reaching out to vendors across the street paper network to get the inside scoop on the cities they know best. This instalment features Mi Valedor vendors Erasmo, Antonio, Juan and Isaias talking about Mexico City.

We recently crowned the winner of our People’s Cover Award – find out who took home the top prize, and take a look at the other covers making a splash and being sold by our vendors around the world.

Our picture gallery of the 2019 INSP Awards. Relive the highlights!

The winners of the 2019 INSP Awards have been revealed at the official Awards Ceremony, as part of the Global Street Paper Summit in Hannover, Germany.

It’s time to reveal the final set of 2019 INSP Awards Finalists, with the Top 6 entries up for our new award honouring Best Partnership.

As the 2019 INSP Awards approaches, we’re pleased to bring you the Top 5 Finalists in Best Design.

The Best Vendor Contribution Award recognises the top contribution to a street paper by their vendors. Here are the Top 5 Finalists for 2019.

This award acknowledges excellence in street paper design – find out who’s made the Top 10.

We’re continuing to announce the nominees for the Editorial categories of the 2019 INSP Awards, and next up is the Top 10 for Best Vendor Contribution.

Mexican street paper Mi Valedor has multiple #VendorWeek activities planned throughout the annual celebration, including traditional food, an opportunity to get their eyes tested, and meeting up with members of the public to show them exactly what it’s like to be a street paper vendor.

This year we asked vendors: if you could give a song as a present this Christmas, what would you choose? The result was the INSP Vendor Playlist, which is now available for your listening pleasure. Mi Valedor vendor Erasmo talks about his love of singer José José and how it links with a lifetime of struggling with alcoholism.

Mauricio Rosas is a Mi Valedor vendor who has experienced both homelessness and addiction. He started experimenting with drugs and alcohol while he was a teenager and went on to rely on alcohol to feel better. It was when Rosas first went to the offices of Mi Valedor that he realised that he needed help. Now that Rosas has made positive changes in his life, he feels that he has been reborn and urges those in need of help to reach out for the support that they need.

INSP was pleased to offer a series of scholarships to support 14 delegates from 9 countries in attending the Global Street Paper Summit that took place in our home city of Glasgow in August.

This month saw the 2018 Global Street Paper Summit return to INSP’s home city of Glasgow, and our golden annual opportunity to replenish the street paper archive and get up close and personal with covers from around the world.

Our picture gallery of the 2018 INSP Awards. Relive the highlights!

The winners of the 2018 INSP Awards have been revealed at the official Awards Ceremony, as part of the Global Street Paper Summit in Glasgow.

We’re spoiling you today – with two sets of Finalists for the 2018 INSP Awards being announced!

Our penultimate set of Finalists to announce for the 2018 INSP Awards is in the Best Project category.

Today we bring you the first Finalists in our Impact categories, for the Best Online Presence from the street paper network.

We’re rounding off the week by bringing you the Finalists in Best Design for the 2018 INSP Awards.

From sixty-three to five – it’s time to reveal the Finalists for our most hotly contested INSP Award this year: Best Cover.

Erasmo Navarrete has found hope and direction since becoming a Mi Valedor vendor. Despite his earlier struggles with alcoholism, he never lost his enthusiasm for work or his honest approach to life. Here, he looks back on his life and talks about the positive changes that have taken place since he became a Mi Valdor vendor, thanks to the support that he has received from others.

The Finalists are here! First up… the Top 5 entries competing for Best News Feature.

Our final Editorial category to be revealed is the Top 10 nominees for Best Vendor Contribution – here’s who made the list…

This award acknowledges excellence in street paper design – find out who’s made the Top 10.

Our most hotly contested INSP Award this year was for Best Cover – with a whopping 63 entries from street papers around the world! Find out who’s made the Top 10…

Strike a pose and get ready to smile…it’s time for us to announce the Best Photograph nominees for the INSP Awards 2018!

We’re delighted to announce the first set of nominees for the INSP Awards 2018 today, and we’re kicking off with the Top 10 Entries for Best News Feature.

Aristeo wanted to be a sport star. But somewhere along the way, he lost himself. Thanks to Mi Valedor, things are looking up for him. Here, he explains why.

Today, North American street papers will join in with the #VendorWeek celebrations by hosting selling events, some for the first time. This #VendorWeek tradition is a chance for those unfamiliar with the street paper movement to understand better what street paper vendors do.

Despite struggling with a knee injury, Isaias, a Mi Valedor vendor in Mexico, has had quite an eventful year. Looking back on 2017, he tells us about the moments that made him feel proud as well as what it feels like to become famous!

Becoming a Mi Valedor vendor has given Hadassha hope: hope that she can resist despair and move towards a more hopeful future. Here, she reflects on her life and talks about the lifeline that selling the magazine has offered her.

We catch up with Arturo, a Mi Valedor vendor, who is grateful for the support that he has found by selling the magazine. He tells us about his past, his experiences as a vendor and his mission to help others.

Find out who took home the 12 coveted awards at the 2017 INSP Awards, held in Manchester, UK.

Wonderful websites, impressive Instagrams, terrific Twitters and fantastic Facebooks – it can only be the Best Online Presence finalists!

All this week, we’re announcing the nominees for the 2017 INSP Awards – and today it’s the top ten in the Best Design category.

All this week, we’re announcing the nominees for the 2017 INSP Awards – and today it’s the top ten in the Best Design category.

It’s been another brilliant year for street paper covers, and we’re delighted to announce the first set of nominees for this year’s INSP Awards – kicking off with the hotly-contested Best Cover category.

Camaxtli used to live with his family in Cuernavaca, but felt that he relied on them too much. Since coming to Mexico City, he has learnt more about himself and acquired some unusual skills at Mi Valedor workshops.

Salomon has always been a salesman. After falling into bad company and trouble with the law, he now sells Mi Valedor. “My self-confidence is returning,” he says, as he works toward his dream of being a family man with his own house.

INSP scholarships to the Global Street Paper Summit allow emerging street papers to learn from the expertise within the network, and bring new voices to the global conversation.

Soak up a summery selection of animal-mad street paper covers with pugs, wolves, chickens, seagulls and crabs – plus Pikachu and the fish star of Finding Dory.