Strugglers scheme launched

A savings incentive scheme funded by the Rotary Club of Perth has been launched to help sellers of The Big Issue help themselves.

The Big Issue is a magazine that is sold by people who have been living in long-term poverty. Those vendors keep half of the cover price of every magazine they sell.

Some of those vendors are living with major disabilities and have been on pensions for all of their adult lives, others are unskilled older men who find it impossible to get labouring work and others still have been so crushed by long-term unemployment that their work with Big Issue gives them an opportunity to gain new confidence.

These vendors are helped to set up a savings plan and then given incentive payments if they stick to it. A reward payment is also available when they reach their savings goal.

If a vendor does not keep to their saving plan the incentives are withdrawn.