The NORTH Update...

Today we were lucky enough to meet and speak with Nicole Cunliffe, who we were passed onto by Patricia as she has been ill recently.

The Centre.

We met Nicole at 3 and she took us into their office to have a chat. Amazingly Nicole is one of THREE people that run the office! She also told us that there's only 3 people working in the editorial team, which produce the magazine! It's amazing that they manage to keep up with everything with such a small team.

She also explained that, they are lucky to be where they are, as the centre itself, it situated right next door to a doctors for the homeless, next to a needle exchange, and opposite the City Drug Service. Nicole explained that's its useful having them all so close for many reasons. Including the fact that, when people come that aren't taking care of themselves, they can refuse to give them the magazines to sell and there can be no excuses as it's just across the road.

The Organisation.

Nicole explained that most people just come to them and they don't really use agencies. Once people turn up at the office, they are assessed through being asked a series of questions and a chat with one of the people working there. Criteria for people being assessed and given the magazines to sell, is:

- The person is homeless or vulnerable.

- The person speaks good english...for Eastern European vendors, language is very important, for their own safety.

The team at THE NORTH, will try to sort the homeless with accomodation, sign posting people to other centres or find them through agencies, offering outside help. They can also help with getting people benefits.

She told us of the programme 'OutReach', volunteers that walk the streets of Leeds, chatting to vendors and seeing how their selling is going. Also a group called 'Simon on the Streets'- they work with rough sleeping.

Once the vendor is accepted, along with all the help they are allocated a pitch. There are 15 in Leeds, and 98 pitches out of town.

The Magazine.

Although the Big Issue is related to The NORTH, Nicole told us that they actually have nothing to do with the big issue and aren't funded by them at all in any way. The NORTH is just something local.

They sell 30,000 magazines a week accross the board, and 4,000 a week in Leeds alone! Apparently they work very closely with Manchester, as this is where the magazine is designed at put together, selling the magazine for a pound to the vendor and then they sell it onto the public for 2 pounds. Manchester sell loads! 

People they get at the centre: A real variety of people turn up at the centre. Lots of Eastern European people turn up, with mainstream work in society unavailable to them it seems a good option. Disgustinley enough, Nicole told us that they have had many complaints from members of the public about them enabling Eastern European citizens selling the magazine and that they just want local people selling it, saying it's unfair! 

But THE NORTH help anyone, no matter who they are.

The age range of people working for the big issue at the moment, goes from the youngest being 18 and the oldest a 65 year old.

Vendors.

70% of the vendors THE NORTH have, are male. There now appear to actually be less traditional vendors than there are Eastern European vendors, with most of these being women (often pregnant). THE NORTH have vendors as far as Hull.

The people they are often helping are people that have had relationship breakdowns, and that used to be involved in companies and work. The reccesion surely has a big part to play in this. THE NORTH are catching these people and working with them to then get them back into mainstream society.

The young people that get involved in selling the magazine, are often using it to just get back on their feet.

There's no limit on the time that people can vend for, can be a couple of months or 30 years! Nicole said that someone that they have there, has done it for this long and just enjoys it.

Many of the homeless people they get are often feeding drug habits, some even sell the magazine to feed the habit, THE NORTHS attitude to this, which I think Is sensible it that they're better of making the money that way, then mugging somebody for the money.

Nicole later spoke of the fact that in the assessment they give each person, they are only willing to take vendors on if they really want to do it themselves. Not if they have been forced to take part in selling the magazine.

Agreement when selling the magazine and when joining.

When they are accepted, the vendors agree to try and help themselves (with drugs), but also they agree to guidelines when selling the magazine.

- They are only aloud to sell the magazine between the hours of 7:30am and 8 in the evening.

- The must not be under the influence of any drug or alcohol when selling.

- Must be well enough.

Other than that THE NORTH is pretty easy to get on with. Some others are more demanding.

THE NORTH are in touch with the police and also 'City Centre Leeds' which can monitor the vendors to an extent and get in touch with people in the office if anything goes wrong.

Confidentiality.

In the assessment, the vendors list all the people that THE NORTH can approach if need be and they communicate a lot with the police. This is done due to risks to the vendor but also any risks to the public.

 

Nicole gave us a couple of things to take away, one of which was a copy of the magazine from june of this year. The others were a booklet on TheBigLifeGroup - Changing LIVES 2007-2008 and 2008-2009. A group that create oppurtunities for people to chnage their lives for the better. The grup was formed in 2002 and now includes five businesses and 3 charities - including The Big Issue In The North. 

What now...

We've asked to do some volunteer work, so Nicole suggested that we volunteer to do 'OutReach', walking round Leeds City Centre and talk to vendors, see how they are and how the selling is going. 

For now we want to do a couple of hours a week and Nicole needs people for afternoons,which is perfect for us. She said that obviously the first time we go out, she will accompany us. But for now she has sent us the application forms to fill in and get back to her, also noting what hours we can volunteer for.