Our vendors come from all walks of life and tell many different stories. Some are homeless; some have physical or intellectual disabilities and some are struggling with addictions. All of our vendors have been marginalised through their circumstances and are looking to improve their lives.

Our research shows that selling The Big Issue has a positive impact on vendors. The impact is felt in a number of areas including:

- Social connections, skills and opportunities to engage with the ‘mainstream’ public through selling The Big Issue Magazine.

- Improve and enhanced health; which includes nutrition, general physical health, decreased and less problematic substance use and improvements in emotional wellbeing as a result of being engaged in meaningful activity.

- Improved housing and accommodation experiences, including a decrease in primary homelessness.

- Enhanced personal factors such as confidence and self worth through enacting the valued role of being a vendor.

- Improved quality of life by being able to afford non-necessity items and engage in regular citizenship activities within contemporary Australian society.

Vendors undertake training with vendor support workers and they sign a code of conduct before they can sell the magazine. All vendors are required to wear their Big Issue identity badge while they sell The Big Issue magazine.

It is important to buy the magazine from badged vendors. Also remember our vendors only sell The Big Issue magazine and over the Christmas period The Big Issue calendar - they do not collect cash or donations on behalf of The Big Issue.

You can find vendors in all the State capitals except Tasmania and Darwin where we don’t as yet have Big Issue offices to coordinate the vendors and distribute magazines. We have some vendors in some regional areas including Geelong, Wangaratta, Ballarat, Bendigo, Traralgon, Whyalla and Mandura.