The Women's Subscription Enterprise

Facts & Figures

• Each night in Australia, more than 46,000 women are homeless.
• Women make up 44% of those sleeping rough or in improvised shelters
• Largest single cause of homelessness in Australia is domestic and family violence which overwhelmingly affects women and children
• Women tend to be less visible among the homeless population than men, remaining out of sight, off the streets and away from areas where homeless people congregate
• 66% of children who sought refuge in a homeless service last year were in the care of a woman made homeless by domestic violence
• The Big Issue Street Magazine Enterprise is unsuitable for many homeless women for a variety of reasons, including child care responsibilities and the unwelcome connotations that come with working on a street corner.

While the statistics show that Australia has a long way to go in tackling women's homelessness, The Big Issue has taken the lead and developed a groundbreaking program tailored specifically for homeless and marginalised women...

Defining women’s homelessness

“The hidden homeless”

• In Australia105,000 people are homeless every night. Of those 105,000, 46,000 are women. Single women are often described as the ‘hidden homeless’ with their needs often overlooked and forgotten.
• Homeless women are often less visible than men and the extent to which homelessness affects women is often underestimated.
• Homeless women tend to remain out of sight, away from areas where homeless people congregate, for fear of violence, rape or other abuse.

Causes of women’s homelessness

The Council for Homeless Persons identifies a range of factors affecting women’s homelessness:

• Violence (particularly domestic violence including physical, sexual and emotional abuse)
• Family Breakdown
• Relationship breakdown
• Financial difficulties
• Eviction or ending accommodation
• Unemployment (particularly long-term)
• Illness (including mental illness), drug and alcohol abuse, disability, family breakdown, and a loss of social support networks 

Impacts of homelessness on women

• Lack control over their lives because they are dependent on others to provide accommodation
• Pressured to enter into and remain in relationships that offer shelter, even if this places them at risk of harm, in order to meet their immediate needs and the needs of their children
• Women with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to homelessness
• Women experiencing homelessness require specialised support services to cater for their particular needs including sexual assault and domestic violence counselling, pregnancy services, protection of physical safety, income support, and assistance with legal issues, such as parental rights

Women and children and homelessness

• 66 per cent of children who have sought refuge were in the care of a woman made homeless by domestic violence….
• Women with children face the pressure of ‘keeping families together’ and where they do separate, often commit themselves to a lower standard of living.
• The impact domestic and family violence can have on children is devastating and research tells us that poverty can influence children’s long term health, wellbeing and effective functioning as adults.

Unmet Needs / Risks for Homeless and Marginalised Women in Australia

The Big Issue undertook a Feasibility study funded by Hon Tanya Plibersek MP (Minister for Housing and Minister for Status for Women) to identify the risks and needs of homeless and disadvantaged women indentified:

• Safety and stability - Securing safe housing is a priority for many homeless women because of their vulnerability to and fear of violence
• Financial security - Gaining an income is a priority, given the level of economic exclusion many face as a result of homelessness. Women with children face extra costs
• Mental health – Homeless women suffer more mental illness than homeless men. It also makes them more susceptible to violence
• Physical health – Homeless women suffer a range of physical health complaints including pregnancy related health issues, and injuries caused by violence
• Coping with disability - Physically and/or mentally disabled people are over-represented among the homeless population and disabled women are especially disadvantaged
• Addressing drug and alcohol dependence - Homeless women demonstrate higher levels of dependence than women in the general population
• Social exclusion – Homeless women suffer strong social exclusion from general society due to their homelessness and among homeless populations because of their gender

Homeless women face numerous issues stemming from their homelessness and gender. These challenges result in two conflicting situations:

• For many paid work would be a valuable opportunity to improve their lives, offering not only a form of income but a social role, inclusion and connections; but
• They face particular and considerable difficulties in finding and maintaining such a job.

The difficulty homeless women face in securing a job exacerbates the disrupted character of their work histories, which impacts their development of skills and experience and leads to possible discrimination among potential employers. A key result is that in order for homeless women to enter and stay in the workplace, they require employers who:

• Understand the dual challenges that homelessness and womanhood create
•  Are willing to give such women a chance
• Provide appropriate work arrangements including flexibility and on-the-job training.

The Case for The Women’s Subscription Enterprise

The Big Issue’s own analysis of sales statistics and vendor profiling has shown that women are reluctant to sell magazines on the street and currently represent an average of 10-15% of the total vendor numbers selling any given edition. Reasons why the street vendor role is not attractive for many women include:

• Women perceive standing on street corners selling as high risk
• Many women are homeless because of violence and are uncomfortable in public places
• The vendor role has connotations of sex workers
• Women seek mutual support & collaborative activities, rather than the individual focus of street vendors
• Many homeless women have responsibilities for young children who cannot be accommodated within a street vendor role

• Women perceive standing on street corners selling as high risk
• Many women are homeless because of violence and are uncomfortable in public places
• The vendor role has connotations of sex workers
• Women seek mutual support & collaborative activities, rather than the individual focus of street vendors
• Many homeless women have responsibilities for young children who cannot be accommodated within a street vendor role

Suitable Employment for Marginalised Women

Women’s Role – Dispatch Officer

• Working to collate, sort and insert magazines every fortnight
• Part-time, flexible work hours
• Training and pathways opportunities and work experience placement available

Working Environment

• Secure indoor work setting
• Social benefits from group work
• Regular suitable tasks
• Flexible arrangements, childcare and transport allowances
• Professional staff to manage Distribution Centre operations and support women

Employment Model

• Opportunity for disadvantaged women to improve their lives
• Financial income and a social role, offering inclusion and connectionsources:

Sources: Saunders, Naidoo & Griffiths (2007). Promoting social inclusion: Emerging evidence from the Catalyst-Clemente program. Available:  http://www.acu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/164728/promoting_social_inclusion.pdf

Australian Council of Social Service (2009). The Australian Collaboration. A Collaboration of National Community Organisations. Available: http://www.australiancollaboration.com.au/_factsheets/1.%20causes%20of%20poverty.pdf