The Big Issue is looking to appoint a number of people to a brand-new role supporting our vendors. One of these roles will be based in our Edinburgh office. The Support and Outreach Worker will be a leading role in our belief of “A Hand Up Not a Hand Out”, and has been created to improve our service to vendors, helping them to increase their income through selling our magazine and providing casework support.

You will also positively promote The Big Issue in your local area, build partnerships with third-party organisations and identify and promote opportunities all with the aim of moving people out of poverty.

To offer our vendors the best possible support you will have experience and knowledge of working with vulnerable adults in a frontline setting, along with the ability to offer effective sales advice and guidance.

Full details of the role including key responsibilities and required skills and experience are available in the Job Description.

In April 2023, the Big Issue Group launched a community interest company, Big Issue Changing Lives, to support more people affected by poverty and increase the impact of our services. Big Issue Changing Lives C.I.C. provides vendors with the end-to-end support they need including sales set up and support, access to health and wellbeing services, and employment opportunities.

Salary and Benefits offered:

• Salary of £25,700 per annum

• Incremental holiday entitlement starting at 25 days per year plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part time staff) plus paid leave to care for a sick child or grandchild and a sick or elderly relation

• Company Sick Pay

• Enhanced contribution to our workplace pension

• Enhanced maternity pay

• Training and development opportunities including an open learning library and management training schemes

• Health benefits include life cover, a health cash plan scheme which provides access to counselling and a range of therapies

• Please note that we reserve the right to review and amend our staff benefits and they do not form part of any contract of employment

Workplace details

This role will be based at our Big Issue office in Edinburgh but you will be mostly be working out and about within the community.

The Big Issue magazine launched in 1991 in response to the growing number of rough sleepers on the streets of London by offering people the opportunity to earn a legitimate income through selling a magazine to the public. Thirty years on, we've helped over 92,000 vendors earn £115 million but our vendors still face the myriad of problems associated with poverty and inequality.

As a Support Worker, you'll not only support us in our mission to dismantle poverty, you'll have a direct involvement in positively impacting the lives of our vendors. You'll be joining a committed and supportive team and an organisation that cares about your personal growth and wellbeing. Not only that, we also offer an ever-growing list of benefits too.

The Role

You'll support vendors on their entire Big Issue journey - from completing their initial induction and selling the magazine through to assisting with financial and digital inclusion and much more.

In addition, we are currently working hard to build new partnerships and networks in our local area to find opportunities for our existing vendors with more opportunities and increase our presence in the community to promote TBI as a route out of poverty. So, if you feel passionately about working collaboratively to enact real change then you will have lots of scope within this role.

Other duties include:

• Inducting new vendors, understanding their individual needs and goals
• Holding regular check-ins with assigned vendors to discuss sales, welfare and gauging if they require referral for further support
• Working with vendors, both in the office and on outreach, to foster a professional relationship and support their sales aspirations
• Selling magazines to vendors, managing pitch allocation, ensuring we have sufficient stock and taking care of banking and sales reporting

Skills & Experience

Some of the skills and experience we look for include:

• Experience of working with vulnerable adults in a frontline or social care setting
• Excellent ability to communicate at all levels and with authenticity both verbally & and in writing
• Confidence in dealing with difficult situations or conversations
• People-focused and ability to adjust your approach depending on the situation
• Confidence in lone working when needed
• Respect for the importance of confidentiality and discretion
• Knowledge of the homelessness sector is desirable but not essential

For a full details of skills and experience, please download the job description from the link below.

Workplace details:

Our office is based at Clockwise in Commercial Street in Edinburgh but you will mostly be working out and about within the community

Salary and Benefits include:

• Salary of £22,833.64 per annum
• Holiday entitlement starting at 25 days per year plus bank holidays on top, increasing by 1 day for each year of employment up to 30 days
• Company sick pay starting at 5 days of full pay, increasing by 5 days with each year of employment (up to 6 weeks)
• Family-friendly benefits including enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Comprehensive flexible working policy open to all staff from day 1 of employment
• Free-of-charge BUPA healthcare cash plan scheme covering everything from dental and physiotherapy costs through to private consultations and scans
• Access to our Employee Assistance programme which includes counselling and a range of therapies
• Life cover - a lump sum for your family or loved ones if the unexpected happens
• Comprehensive programme of professional skills training

Our mission is to dismantle poverty by creating opportunity, through self-help, social trading and business solutions. The Big Issue magazine launched in 1991 in response to the growing number of rough sleepers on the streets of London by offering people the opportunity to earn a legitimate income through selling a magazine to the public. Thirty years on, we've helped over 92,000 vendors earn £115 million but our vendors still face the myriad of problems associated with poverty and inequality.

As Vendor Sales & Support Worker, you'll not only support us in our mission to dismantle poverty, you'll have a direct impact on positively impacting the lives of our vendors.

You'll be joining a committed and supportive team and an organisation that cares about your personal growth and wellbeing. Not only that, we also offer an ever-growing list of benefits too.

The Role

You'll accompany vendors on their entire Big Issue journey - from completing their initial induction and selling the magazine through to assisting with financial and digital inclusion and much more.

Main duties include:

• Inducting new vendors, understanding their individual needs and goals

• Holding regular check-ins with assigned vendors to discuss sales, welfare and gauging if they require referral for further support

• Working with vendors, both in the office and on outreach, to foster a professional relationship and support their sales aspirations

• Selling magazines to vendors, managing pitch allocation, ensuring we have sufficient stock and taking care of banking and sales reporting

Skills & Experience

Some of the skills and experience we look for include:

• Experience of working with vulnerable adults in a frontline or social care setting

• Knowledge of the homelessness sector is desirable but not essential

• Excellent ability to communicate at all levels and with authenticity both verbally & and in writing

• Confidence in dealing with difficult situations or conversations

• People-focused and ability to adjust your approach depending on the situation

• Confidence in lone working when needed

• Respect for the importance of confidentiality and discretion

For a full details of skills and experience, please download the job description from the link below.

Salary and Benefits include:

• Salary of £22,168 per annum

• Holiday entitlement starting at 25 days per year plus bank holidays on top, increasing by 1 day for each year of employment up to 30 days

• Company sick pay starting at 5 days of full pay, increasing by 5 days with each year of employment (up to 6 weeks)

• Paid time off to care for a sick child or grandchild and a sick or elderly relation

• Enhanced contribution to our workplace pension

• Enhanced maternity/paternity pay

• Comprehensive flexible working policy open to all staff from day 1 of employment

• Free-of-charge BUPA healthcare cash plan scheme covering everything from dental and physiotherapy costs through to private consultations and scans

• Access to our Employee Assistance programme which includes counselling and a range of therapies

• Life cover - a lump sum for your family or loved ones if the unexpected happens

• Comprehensive programme of professional skills training

Workplace details:

This role will be based at our office in Bath Street, Glasgow, with occasional travel to Edinburgh.