‘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.

Joseph Malik spoke at the head of Black Lives Matter protests in Edinburgh last year as people marched against systemic racism. Since, the formerly homeless singer has had a stroke and made an album that filters the rage of Scotland’s Black community into soulful music.

After working with inmates at Glasgow’s Barlinnie prison for some years, musician Jill Brown sought to establish a way for exceptional talent uncovered behind bars to release their music. The result is Conviction Records, a record label and social enterprise for ex-offenders. With backing from major music A&R Eric MacLellan, Brown hopes the outreach to former prison inmates and the songs created with them will help bring convicted criminals back from the fringes of society.

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. In the midst of the worldwide renowned Edinburgh Festival, otherwise known as the Fringe, vendor George Whyte talks about the Scottish capital.

Ex-RAF veteran Gary Godfrey moved back to Glasgow, Scotland, last year and onto couches and hostels after battling substance abuse and alcohol misuse. Now, he is captaining his country in an international tournament, about to move into an apartment and start a new job. INSP spoke to him between matches at the 2019 Homeless World Cup in Cardiff, Wales.

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. Here, vendor Daniel talks about Inverness.

The Blankfaces is a Glasgow-based social enterprise fashion label that works with people experiencing homelessness on design ideas to create stylish streetwear with a message. INSP spoke to its founder Gerard McKenzie-Govan about the impetus behind the business and giving an outlet for the homeless community’s creative spirit.

With the INSP Global Street Paper Summit in Glasgow this week, it’s a great opportunity to hear from one of the city’s vendors. Daniel is a familiar face in the west end of Glasgow, and you might even recognise him from past stories featured in the INSP website and News Service. He even went viral not that long ago. Here, he tells us how he came to be a Big Issue vendor, getting back into education and his love of graphic novels.

Popular Glasgow vendor Daniel Collins has turned his Glasgow wit and wisdom into a poem that contributes to a nationwide discussion on land and housing.

Children from a remote primary school on the isle of Mull examine how housing and rural land use affects their lives.

Street paper vendors were at the heart of a message of dignity and love at the launch of INSP’s street paper cover exhibition UNCOVERED: still homeless, still an issue, hosted in Glasgow.

George has had quite a few housing problems over the past year and he was finding it difficult to get by. But selling The Big Issue gave him a boost. “I’ll do a wee dance on my pitch and the staff inside Starbucks will chuckle,” he says.

World first exhibition of street paper design and global vendors’ stories to open in The Lighthouse this February for #VendorWeek.

Thirty volunteers brave sub-zero temperatures to support outreach and addition services in Scotland. “It’s about trying to do away with the stigma around homelessness,” says Teen Challenge Strathclyde’s Michael Sturrock.

From a TARDIS’ on Edinburgh’s famous Leith Walk to award-winning sustainable business, Edinburgh Tool Library is one of Scotland’s social enterprise stories of the year

As the UK celebrates its official Organ Donation Awareness Week, we talk to Chloe Knott, the co-founder of Transplant Toys. Herself the recipient of a kidney transplant, Chloe has a unique crafty way to draw attention to organ donation.

Big Issue vendors, asylum seekers and primary school children will contribute to a new nationwide arts project discussing land and housing in Scotland.

Scottish Homeless World Cup star Stephanie has beaten addiction & homelessness to play for her country. She’s competed in front of thousands of fans, including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

In the midst of the tournament, we learn how The Big Issue Australia helped seven players bring the infectious “Aussie team spirit” to the Homeless World Cup in Glasgow. The experience has already rendered goalkeeper Shannon “speechless”.