Wednesday 15 April – A new programme run by the Big Issue through which vendors of its street magazine are invited to speak in schools is set to be rolled out across the country.
Big Issue vendors have been engaging with primary-age pupils through assemblies and workshops, sharing their personal experiences to educate the next generation about societal issues of homelessness, poverty and inequality.
Pilot sessions run in more than ten London and Bristol schools have been met with positive feedback, with the programme now set to be expanded nationwide.
“It’s transformed how our pupils talk about homelessness,” says one Bristol primary school teacher. “They’ve moved from seeing it as an individual problem to understanding the wider causes. That shift in thinking is powerful.”
A head teacher in London agrees: “Students aren’t just learning about inequality – they’re debating it, questioning it and thinking about solutions.”
Many students reported meeting the vendors had an immediate and lasting impact on them. One Year 6 pupil said: “I didn’t realise how many reasons there are for someone not having a home. It’s not just about money – it can be about mental health or losing a job. We should make sure everyone has a fair chance.”
