About Us
Our purpose
Our aim is to help people help themselves. The Big Issue provides a way for people who have experienced homelessness and long-term unemployment to participate in society as independently as possible.
Who we are
The Big Issue Australia is part of the International Network of Street Papers (INSP), which includes The Big Issue magazines in the UK, Japan, Namibia and South Africa. Each works independently with the same aim: to help homeless and marginalised people move from poverty into society.
Find out more about the International Network of Street Papers.
Read more about the people who work for and support The Big Issue in Australia.
Our magazine
The Big Issue is an independent national magazine that publishes quality articles and images on a range of subjects including arts and entertainment, current affairs, street culture and lifestyle.
What we do
As well as produce The Big Issue magazine, the organisation is involved in other ways to help homeless and marginalised people.
Find out more about what we do.
Why is The Big Issue an option for homeless and marginalised people?
Many people find it hard to access employment for a variety of reasons including psychiatric illness, alcohol and drug addiction, and intellectual and physical disabilities, as well as homelessness.
Vendors of The Big Issue magazine can choose when they work, and earn an immediate income running their own micro-business.
Some vendors will stay with The Big Issue for a month to get back on their feet, while others will stay longer. Everyone is welcome.
History
The Big Issue magazine was launched in Melbourne in June 1996. It started as a monthly magazine that could also generate income for the homeless and long-term unemployed. It soon went fortnightly and hit the streets of Sydney. Distribution gradually spread to Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth and regional Victoria.
Read more about The Big Issue’s history in Australia.
How you can help
As well as buying a copy each fortnight and stopping to chat with a vendor, there are many ways to get involved in The Big Issue community.
