Looking for Participants: Scottish Charity Aims to Alter the Homelessness Narrative

International Network of Street Papers Launches New Journalistic Training Programme for Homeless and Low-Income Individuals

Thursday 27 February, 2025
Glasgow, UK – The International Network of Street Papers (INSP), a Glasgow-based charity, has secured funding to launch a new journalistic training programme aimed at individuals who have experienced homelessness and poverty. The programme aims to challenge the negative narrative surrounding these issues and provide a platform for those with lived experience to share their stories.

According to a recent poll by the Centre for Homelessness Impact and IPSOS, 89% of Scottish respondents believe homelessness to be a serious problem. The media often perpetuates harmful stereotypes and labels, such as ‘scroungers’ and ‘lazy’, which can lead to a misrepresentation of the real issues.

As the Scottish charity representing all printed street newspapers and magazines sold globally by individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty, including The Big Issue, INSP is uniquely positioned to deliver this programme.

INSP is now inviting individuals with direct experience of homelessness and poverty in Scotland to join a two-month cohort of learners. They will participate in journalism and storytelling workshops led by professionals from the media industry, as well as inspiring speakers and authors who have their own experiences to share.

Participants will have the opportunity to write and tell their own stories, whether it be a personal account, a creative writing piece, or a news article. They will also be paid for any articles published, which will be distributed through INSP’s global newswire, the INSP News Service, to all 92 street paper organisations worldwide.

INSP hopes that this project will not only benefit the global street paper network but also change how the media and public discuss issues surrounding homelessness and poverty.

Thanks to the support of five trusts and foundations, including The Robertson Trust, Endrick Trust, People’s Postcode Trust, Albert Hunt Trust, and the National Lottery Awards for All, INSP has secured funding for the pilot phase of the project. These organizations view the program as an effective way to achieve its intended goal.

Mike Findlay-Agnew, CEO of INSP, shares his excitement about the project’s funding: “It is exciting that we have captured the imagination of funders in Scotland with our Changing the Narrative project. As levels of deep poverty continue to rise not just in Scotland, but in the UK and in other parts of the world, it is important that we have as much accurate information out there to inform the public and the media as possible.”

INSP is actively seeking partnerships and funding opportunities for the project and invites interested media organizations to get in touch. The long-term goal is to create new pathways into the media industry for individuals who may not have had this opportunity otherwise.

Individuals interested in participating in the programme can email Niamh Brook at niamhb@insp.ngo with a 150-word statement explaining why they want to take part. They can also contact Mike Findlay-Agnew for a discussion about the project at mike@insp.ngo.

INSP will conduct short interviews with potential participants over March and April before formally starting the programme in mid-April of this year.

Ends

Notes to Editors

For more details, please contact:

Mike Findlay-Agnew

E: mike@insp.ngo

M: 07545 915613

The International Network of Street Papers (INSP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to tackling poverty and homelessness globally. Their mission is to empower people and street paper enterprises to address these issues worldwide. Based in Glasgow, INSP represents 92 street paper organizations in 35 countries: https://www.insp.ngo/

Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/