The Big Issue

Sydney’s Top Women In Business Come Together To Support Homeless Women

Posted Mar 16th, 2010 • Category: Big Issue News • By Danielle

An impressive list of Sydney business women came together today for a luncheon with wife of the Prime Minister of Australia, Therese Rein, introducing a new initiative that will help address the needs of Australia’s 46,000 homeless women.

Hosted by the Macquarie Group Foundation, on behalf of The Big Issue, the luncheon of 26 guests saw a host of the city’s top business women, along with TODAY Show host Lisa Wilkinson and retired Australian Netballer and Ambassador for The Big Issue Liz Ellis, gather to find out more about The Big Issue’s Women’s Subscriptions Enterprise.

The initiative will address the issues faced by homeless and disadvantaged women in the community, by the establishment of a subscriptions model selling The Big Issue magazine.

Head of Corporate Affairs for The Big Issue, Natalie Susman, said it was an honour to have a group of well-regarded and accomplished women come together today to learn more about the introduction of this wonderful initiative.

“Every night more than 46,000 Australian women are homeless, making up 40 percent of those sleeping rough or in improvised shelters,” Ms Susman said.

“The largest single cause of homelessness in Australia is domestic and family violence, which overwhelmingly affects women and children.

“The Big Issue has recognised the need to establish a viable and sustainable social enterprise that can provide appropriate employment, training and pathway opportunities for disadvantaged women, giving them financial independence and ultimately allowing them to change their lives and have control over their futures.

“After an initial start-up period, the Women’s Subscriptions Enterprise will become entirely self-sustaining through revenue from ongoing subscription sales.

“What we need now is for everyone to champion the sale of these subscriptions through their networks and to obtain an initial capital investment to kick start the program.”

Wife of the Prime Minister, Therese Rein, expressed her support for the initiative and her enthusiasm to be involved with the luncheon for The Big Issue today.

“I am thrilled to be here to learn more about this important initiative,” Ms Rein. 

“The program aims to provide homeless women with a non-judgemental, safe and flexible work environment that can improve their financial circumstances while encouraging personal development, independence and hope for a stable future.”

TODAY Show host Lisa Wilkinson agreed with Ms Rein, throwing her full support behind the establishment of a sustainable initiative that will provide disadvantaged women with ongoing work and training opportunities with financial return.

“I have always thought The Big Issue was a wonderful concept, allowing Australia’s disadvantaged to earn an immediate income where they may have no other employment option,” Ms Wilkinson said.

“While the statistics show that Australia has a long way to go in addressing the issue of women’s homelessness it is wonderful to see The Big Issue has taken the lead in tackling the issue, developing a ground breaking program tailored specifically for women.”

ENDS

High resolution images from today’s event are available for media to download by visiting http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigissueaustralia/sets/72157623504749505/

Notes

The Big Issue has been operating in Australia since 1996, with vendors selling more than 5.5 million magazines and generating $9.5 million, which has gone into the pockets of homeless and unemployed people.

However, the majority of street vendors are male – many homeless and disadvantaged women have far greater and more complex range of needs, including safety and security (often caused by a history of abuse), mental and physical health (sexual and pregnancy related), disability, drug and alcohol dependency and childcare. As such, they face limited opportunities to enter the workforce in a secure and appropriate way.

The introduction of the Women’s Subscriptions Enterprise is the outcome of an extensive Feasibility Study funded by the Minister for Housing and Minister for the Status of Women, the Hon Tanya Plibersek, MP.

The study had a number of key, inter-related aims, including reviewing what work opportunities best meet needs of homeless and disadvantaged women and potential markets for a subscriptions service for The Big Issue Magazine.

The outcome of this extensive study showed that a subscription service to The Big Issue Magazine represents a robust and attractive business proposition and could be designed to provide work opportunities to homeless women by involving them in the dispatch of the magazine.

The approach would meet the needs of disadvantaged women and could be delivered within their skill sets.

The Women’s Subscriptions Enterprise Business Model

The Women’s Subscriptions Enterprise will establish a viable, sustainable social enterprise providing work, training and pathway opportunities for disadvantaged women.

Subscriptions will be sold through professional telemarketing services and disadvantaged women will be employed to work as Dispatch Assistants and collate, sort and insert the magazines every fortnight.

The Women’s Subscriptions Enterprise is entirely scalable – as Subscriptions are sold, revenue is directed straight into the pockets of disadvantaged women, through provision of wages, training, mentoring and support. It is financially sustainable and totally viable after the start up phase of the program.