Our partnership with not-for-profit social enterprise The Big Issue has helped homeless and disadvantaged women reach a big milestone – just in time for International Women’s Day on 8 March.

The women who pack The Big Issue for distribution to subscribers have now dispatched more than 400,000 copies of the magazine through the Women’s Subscription Enterprise (WSE).

We proudly supported the WSE with 650 subscriptions each fortnight.

The initiative is designed to offer a safe and viable work opportunity for vulnerable women, as an alternative to selling The Big Issue on the street.

As part of the WSE, women hand-pack subscription copies of the magazine, giving them an income and helping them gain new skills and career pathways for the future.

For every 100 subscriptions sold, one woman can be employed through the initiative.

Some of you may already be familiar with the fortnightly magazine, which is sold on the streets around the country. This year is the 20th anniversary of The Big Issue’s launch in Australia. Since 1996, more than 5000 people have sold the magazine, putting more than $21 million into the pockets of homeless and disadvantaged men and women.

Key facts about The Big Issue

• More than 46,000 women are homeless in Australia every night, many with children in their care.
• The Women’s Subscription Enterprise provides employment to homeless, marginalised and disadvantaged women through the sale of subscriptions to The Big Issue magazine.
• The Women’s Subscription Enterprise was launched in 2010 and has employed more than 130 women in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. It is now expanding to Perth. The women have packed more than 400,000 copies of the magazine since the program launched.
• For every 100 subscriptions sold, 1 woman can be employed through the Women’s Subscription Enterprise
• The Big Issue magazine is a fortnightly, independent, general interest magazine sold on the streets by homeless, marginalised and disadvantaged people. Vendors buy copies of the magazine for $3.50 and sell them for $7, keeping the difference.
• Since The Big Issue was launched in Australia in 1996, more than 10 million magazines have been sold, putting more than $22 million into vendors’ pockets.
• About 500 people sell The Big Issue each fortnight around the country.

Visit The Big Issue's website to find out more.