My self-respect was going, my self-esteem was getting lower every day. I was losing my self-confidence. I was sinking low and fast, and again I did not recognise it… I have been clean now for 16 months. I just moved into a flat, and every day I count my blessings. I know I am one of the lucky ones. I am coming through the other side
, Vendor, The Big Issue in the North, United Kingdom
Latest News
- Two new full-time positions available at INSP
2 March 2010Please click here[insp-jobs/] for job descriptions and application details for two new full-time roles at INSP:
- Scottish Minister for External Affairs visits The Big Issue Malawi
19 February 2010The Scottish Government's External Affairs Minister Fiona Hyslop recently met staff and homeless vendors from The Big Issue Malawi in Blantyre.
- Development work in Africa
28 January 2010'Strengthening Civil Society & Developing Independent Media in Africa' - This project, in partnership with the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), is now underway. This project will strengthen the capacity of the six existing street papers in Africa to forge a stronger independent media presence in Africa and to increase the content from Africa distributed regionally and internationally. African Regional Co-ordinator, Samba Yonga (Big Issue Zambia) has kick started communication between the 6 African street papers and is having a logo designed for the network. Interviews are currently taking place for the African Regional Training and Development Manger who will start in March or April this year.
- Mayor of Bergen is INSP's newest Patron
19 January 2010INSP has been honoured by the public support of Mayor Gunnar Bakke (pictured) of Bergen, Norway as he becomes the latest Patron. He joins the Lord Provost of Glasgow (Patron) and Reuters' Editor-in-Chief, David Schlesinger (Honorary President) as the INSP's esteemed figureheads.
- Reuters Reception for INSP
2 December 2009On November 30th, Thomson Reuters hosted exclusive reception on behalf of INSP at the Reuters Building at Canary Wharf in London [pictured].
- Funding from The United Nations Democracy Fund
2 December 2009In November, INSP learned that a funding application made to the UNDEF was successful. Despite the enormous competition, INSP was awarded $350,000 over 2 years to develop our African street-paper network. The project will focus on increasing the flow and quality of news coming from our African street papers as well as building the capacity of individual papers.
- SNS internship available
23 November 2009INSP is seeking a Street News Service intern to join the Glasgow team in January 2010
- INSP Staffing
9 November 2009During INSP's face-to-face board meeting, Network Development Officer, Maree Aldam was promoted to Network Services Manager to reflect her increasing responsibilities over recent months.
- INSP 2009 board meeting
6 November 2009The board of INSP meets with the Executive Director Lisa Maclean every month by telephone conference and twice each year for a face-to-face meeting. This week, our 5 board members from Russia, USA, Canada, South Africa and Austria met with INSP staff in Glasgow for an important 4 day planning meeting. Staff and board reviewed the work and finances for 2008 - 2009; redrafted strategies on fundraising and marketing & communication; evaluated projects and partnerships; and drafted a new business plan and strategy for 2010 - 2012.
- INSP at the Homeless World Cup
15 September 2009This year's Homeless World Cup took place in Milan from the 6th to the 13th of September. Ukraine were crowned this year's champions after defeating Portugal 5-4 in an exciting final. INSP staff Lisa Maclean and Maree Aldam spent 4 days at the event and met with representatives from 11 INSP street papers, who were there with their teams. Lisa and Maree also had meetings with 15 other individuals, to offer support for new or emerging street paper projects and promote the street paper concept.
- INSP's intern programme
24 September 2009Over the summer, INSP has worked with 8 interns and volunteers on various projects. This month sees a change as SNS intern Eoghan Macguire leaves. Eoghan has been working on the SNS project since February, but left earlier this month to start a masters programme in journalism at Cardiff University. Replacing Eoghan this month is Franck Martin (pictured) a freelance journalist and a recent politics graduate of Glasgow University.
- SNS funding news
28 August 2009INSP recently learned that an independent media funding application made to the EU, in partnership with Inter Press Service (IPS) has been successful. INSP will be awarded some 400,000 Euros, over 3 years, as part of the 940,690 euro total. The project will focus on developing INSP's growing 'Street News Service[street-news-service/]' project and in particular encouraging the flow of development-related information from the global south to readers in Europe and beyond.
- SNS intern position available
9 July 2009INSP is seeking a Street News Service intern to join the Glasgow team on 7th September 2009.
- 2009 Post Conference Report now available!
28 May 2009The report from the 14th annual conference is now available. A version for INSP members, complete with workshop notes and AGM minutes, will be emailed directly.
- INSP has a Glasgow-based internship available
20 May 2009Individual Giving Fundraising Intern (3-4 month Internship)
- INSP Conference 2009
19 May 2009From 12th - 16th May 2009, INSP brought together 94 delegates from 29 countries for its 14th Annual Conference and networking event. The conference was hosted in Bergen, on the west coast of Norway, in close partnership with local street paper Megafon. This one one of INSP's most exciting and inspiring conferences yet! A full conference report will be available here next week and various photographs and films are currently being compiled.
- Winners of the second annual International Street Paper Awards are announced!
15 May 2009On Thursday 14th of May, the second annual International Street Paper Awards took place in the Logen Theatre in the beautiful city of Bergen, Norway. The awards were organised by INSP, in collaboration with Megafon, the local street paper of Bergen. The awards were the highlight of the INSP's 14th Annual Conference, and a key part of the organisation's 15th anniversary celebrations, which are taking place throughout 2009.
- INSP's 2008 Annual Report is here!
6 May 2009INSP's 2008 Annual Report is now available. This official report outlines INSP's objectives and activities throughout the 2008 calendar year.
- INSP's new Anniversary Members
28 April 2009To launch its 15th Anniversary, INSP is publically celebrating five exceptional street papers which have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the development of the network, giving over and above, to develop the shared mission of the INSP. These remarkable street papers will form a new ‘Anniversary Membership', providing continued support and innovative leadership to advance the entire street paper movement.
- News from INSP partner - Homeless World Cup
20 April 2009A ball can change the world *48 nations announced for the Milan 2009 Homeless World Cup**Set in the heart of one of the most football passionate cities in the world**6-13 September 2009*
- Exclusive Civic Reception for INSP
27 March 2009On the 25th March, the Lord Provost (Mayor) of Glasgow hosted an exclusive evening reception for INSP at Glasgow's City Chambers. The Lord Provost, who recently became the first-ever Patron of INSP, welcomed guests to the stunning venue, including INSP's new Honorary President, Editor-in-Chief of Reuters, David Schlesinger.
- Glasgow's Lord Provost is INSP's first-ever Patron
3 March 2009INSP has been honoured by the public support of the city's Lord Provost Bob Winter, as he becomes the first-ever Patron. This follows last month's news of Thomson Reuters' Editor-in-Chief David Schlesinger being announced as the new Honorary President. These two prestigious appointments mark the beginning of INSP's 15th anniversary year.
- INSP has a new Honorary President!
23 January 2009INSP is delighted to announce that David Schlesinger, Editor-in-Chief of Thomson Reuters, has accepted the Honorary President position!
- Street News Service Internship
20 January 2009INSP currently has an intern vacancy for its news agency, the Street News Service. The post will aid INSP in supporting its global membership of independent social media by collating, editing, posting, and distributing quality editorial content for exchange through the SNS.
- 2009 International Street Paper Awards
5 January 2009The 2nd Annual International Street Paper Awards will be celebrated in May 2009, as a core part of INSP's Annual Conference, co-hosted by street paper member Megafon in Bergen, Norway.
- Burundi consultancy training
22 December 2008A 5-day INSP training event recently took place in Bujumbura in Burundi from the 15th - 19th December. INSP consultant Manoel Madeira from the street paper Macadam in France worked with staff, volunteers from the Burundian Association for Sport and Culture (ABSC). The event was also attended by prospective vendors of what will be Burundi's first-ever street paper.
- Consultancy training in Kenya
3 November 2008INSP Consultant Bonnie Olson, Seattle, ran a 5-day consultancy and training week in Nairobi with 6 members of The Big Issue Kenya team. She helped to re-organise the project and to hire a more diverse Board of Directors to provide further support to the local group.
- INSP Board Meeting
8 October 2008The second face-to-face board meeting of this year took place in Glasgow at the end of September. All members of the board attended the 4-day meeting, along with INSP staff. The packed schedule made for a constructive meeting with very positive outcomes, incorporating members' views and feedback.
- Scottish Government fund Malawi's first-ever street paper
31 October 2008INSP received great funding news this month. The Scottish Government has awarded a 3-year grant to help support INSP partner, ‘Cultural Awakening Society' in Malawi. The project will build upon the initial INSP street paper development training held in August. Preparations for the launch of Malawi's first-ever street paper are now underway and the local team are delighted by the funding news and are ready to go!
- 2008 Conference
30 June 2008INSP's 13th Annual Conference 2008: ‘Speaking from the Ground Up: Street Papers Challenging Global Perspectives on Poverty' was held in Glasgow, Scotland - INSP's global headquarters.