The International Network of Street Papers is set to undergo a leadership change as Maree Aldam – at the organisation for 14 years and its CEO for eight – moves on to a new role. Leaving the network as a veteran of the street paper movement, she writes about how she first crossed paths with the street paper mission and the growth and resilience she has witnessed since.

INSP has appointed Mike Findlay as its new CEO. He is a third sector leader, with 20 years of experience working in senior communications roles in both London and Scotland, as well as a trained journalist and writer on social justice and inequalities who has been published in a number of national news outlets.

The UN climate conference COP26 has been ongoing in Glasgow. On Saturday, members of the public and activists alike took to the streets to make their voices heard for climate justice for all.

‘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.

In a personal message to the street paper network – expressing his solidarity with its journalists, its frontline staff, its volunteers and its vendors – Pope Francis hails the work being done by street papers to help “the vulnerable and invisible” in the testing circumstances created by COVID-19.

Like so many others, INSP intern Jenna Minser’s life was completely upended because of COVID-19. As we all adapt to our new normal, it can be easy to focus on the bad things. Yet, it’s more important than ever to find the big things we can be grateful for and the small things we can do to make the world a little better.

As the world reacts to the outbreak of COVID-19, street papers are having to adapt to an environment of social distancing and isolation, a situation not conducive to selling street papers in the traditional way – by vendors on the street. They are now facing up to the challenge of how to continue providing a livelihood for those that rely on them. Supported by a global network, they are coming up with innovative ways to keep going.

INSP has been celebrating its 25th anniversary all year with events and projects, and sharing stories and memories. With more happening this month and towards the end of the year, INSP spoke to members of the network also celebrating the quarter of a century milestone in 2019 about what has changed and what is to come.

INSP has teamed up with non-profit news organisation Next City as a content partner to bring stories to its members. Next City stories, which focus on the problems affecting cities and the solutions that infuse them with greater economic, environmental and social justice, will appear on INSP’s News Service.

In urban landscapes all over the United States, residents experiencing homelessness are at the mercy of yet another hardship: anti-homeless design. With “defensive” architecture driving people out of parks and off sidewalks, the question is: Who are public spaces meant for?

INSP has launched a new initiative to help support street paper members situated in the US, Canada and Mexico. The North American Bureau will be led by the former executive director of Street Roots and backed by Seattle street paper Real Change.

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. In the final instalment of this series, Zebra vendor Happy talks about his love of gospel music.

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. The street paper Z! is sold in Amsterdam. Four of its vendors spoke about their contributions to the playlist.

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. Two Tagessatz vendors explain why they made their contributions.

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. Trott-War vendor Peter chose a song that stands out from the surrounding pack – a rap song about the German football association.

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. A bunch of StreetWise vendors in Chicago explained in depth about their contributions.

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. Seven Surprise vendors chipped in with their choices.

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. Today, we hear Strassenkreuzer vendors Georg and Brigitte on The Velvet Underground and Tony Marshall.

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. Street Sense vendors in Washington DC talk about their song choices, which range from festive classics to T-Pain.

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. Street Roots vendors in Portland, Oregon, run through their choices.

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. Kine, a Sorgenfri vendor and a musician, is inspired by Damon Albarn, musical polymath and the brains behind animated band Gorillaz, in both her music and her life.

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. Shedia vendors Irini and Magda have contrasting reasons behind their song choices.

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. Scarp de’ tenis vendor Claudio reminisces about the Italian countryside through his favourite song of all time.

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. One Step Away vendors in Philadelphia are like a microcosm of the entire street paper network – they have diverse musical tastes.

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.

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. Megaphon vendor Stephen is a musician himself, and believes that his songs are perfect for Christmas.

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. Megaphone vendors talk about the songs they selected.

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. For Freedom, a Marie vendor, “an African beat makes me forget my worries”.