What’s the Big Issue?

How does someone start looking up once they become homeless? How do they start to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel? How do they begin to hope again?

The Big Issue is a magazine that is sold on city streets by people who are homeless, long term unemployed, or disadvantaged. Becoming a vendor gives people a sense of purpose, raises their self-esteem, and gives them the ability to begin earning much needed income.

Professor Peter Kenyon is Professor of Economic Policy in the John Curtin Institute of Public Policy at Curtin University of Technology. He has taught at a number of universities in Australia and overseas. His research interests include, labour economics, international economics, economic policy and the Australian labour market in its international context.

Peter is also the Chair of the WA Advisory Board of the Big Issue and as part of Homeless Persons’ Week 2010 he was my guest on radio this morning.

National Homeless Person’s Week 2010 is on now and runs until Sunday. It aims to raise awareness of homelessness in the community, celebrate and acknowledge current services being offered to homeless people, foster collaboration of services working with the homeless, and attract more volunteers and financial support into

Every morning this week I’ve been talking to people who serve Perth’s homeless community. If you’d like to hear my chat with Professor Peter Kenyon simply click the play button on the audio player at the bottom of this post.

[audio:http://mpegmedia.sonshinefm.ws/feeds/MOR080410_1427.mp3]

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About the author

Rodney Olsen

Rodney is a husband, father, cyclist, blogger and podcaster from Perth Western Australia.

He previously worked in radio for about 25 years but these days he spends his time at Compassion Australia, working towards releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name.

The views he expresses here are his own.

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