Laurence sells The Big Issue at the Canberra Times Fountain, Civic, and in Dickson.

“As someone who has suffered from depression and schizophrenia, I know better than most that life can be one big mess without friends and a steady job. I’ve always loved working, doing something productive rather than being stuck at home with the four walls caving in on me. I travelled around Australia, working as a kitchen hand from Victoria to Queensland. But 10 years ago, …

For a boy who struggled with reading at school, Matthew has turned out to be a huge fan of novels about wizards, vampires, and the age-old battle between good and evil. “The Harry Potter books and Twilight are about magic and mystery and power,” Matthew says. “It would be great to turn a bad boss into a toad or put a million dollars into my bank account, but if I had one power it would be the power of …

“It’s funny, when I was school I was a very high achiever: A+, did musicals, studied dance. My mental illness has destroyed any ambition. My sister has done three degrees, my brother’s an engineer, but I’m the only one in the family who has a mental illness.

It was drug induced – marijuana. I’d just left school and went fruit picking in South Australia; we smoked some [marijuana] and I became psychotic as a result. I ended up in the …

A smile says a lot about a person, and Bryan’s smile speaks volumes about his nature. It more than makes up for a lack of verbal communication, attributed to muscle problems arising in utero from a maternal illness. Bryan can barely speak, but is working on it, practising with a special plate in his mouth. A further pre-birth complication means he can’t see in shadows or at night, though he’s fine during the day.

While he admits he should practise …

“One of the best things I remember about my childhood is going around to my grandmother’s place to help her with the garden and around the house. I used to stay over some weekends and I really enjoyed that. I knew I was a bit different from an early age, but it was not until much later in life that I found out that I had gender dysphoria syndrome. This brought meaning to the fact that I had always …

I was born in Brisbane Hospital and had a happy childhood in northern Queensland, but my mother drank a lot and I was often left to look after my younger brothers. I left home at 17 when it became too much. I miss my father – he died in 2000. I’m still in regular contact with my mother and we have a good relationship now. She still lives in Townsville.

I have been deaf since birth due to my mum having chicken …

When Michael was 21 he fled the angry shouts of his parents’ crumbling marriage, stuck his thumb out on the Brisbane highway and jumped into a car with a crucifix hanging from the rear-vision mirror. Two days later, when the driver dropped him off in Townsville, he was a Christian – and has been one ever since.

But his arrival in Townsville represented the start of five lonely years for Michael. He lived on the streets, spoke to no one …

Chris sells The Big Issue at various locations across Canberra.

“A lot of people are afraid of disability and when customers stop to buy a magazine from me they will often be surprised and say, ‘Oh! He talks.’ When they get to know me, however, they realise that I talk a lot! Sometimes, people passing by don’t see what is on the inside and just feel sorry for the disabled, who really want to be treated like everybody …

Paul has been part of The Big Issue family for about three and a half years. He works at Melbourne Central, Cnr Queen and Collins St, Parliament Station, Causeway Lane, Lygon Street.

What do you enjoy most about selling the mag?
The biggest reward for me is all the people I get to meet each day. I also really enjoy selling The Big Issue at Christmas time… people are really generous.

How has selling The Big Issue helped …