Big Issue is heading into schools to inspire the next generation to dismantle poverty

For more than three decades, Big Issue Group has worked to dismantle poverty by creating opportunity. Now, through the Big Issue Education Programme, we are taking that mission into classrooms to equip young people with the knowledge, empathy and confidence to challenge inequality.

The programme brings issues such as homelessness, marginalisation and social enterprise to students through assemblies and workshops. Our mission is to inspire and empower young people through bold storytelling that champions fairness, compassion and social justice – shaping a generation ready to build a stronger, more inclusive society.

We want young people to understand how fairness, compassion and social justice shape a stronger society.

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The programme has been running across Bristol and London primary schools, where teachers say the impact has been immediate and lasting.

“It’s transformed how our pupils talk about homelessness,” says one Bristol primary school teacher. “They’ve moved from seeing it as an individual problem to understanding the wider causes. That shift in thinking is powerful.”

A head teacher in London agrees: “Students aren’t just learning about inequality – they’re debating it, questioning it and thinking about solutions.”

For many, the experience has been eye-opening. One Year 6 pupil said: “I didn’t realise how many reasons there are for someone not having a home. It’s not just about money – it can be about mental health or losing a job. We should make sure everyone has a fair chance.”

A Year 5 student added: “I have learnt that homeless people don’t just sleep on the streets. They can sleep in other places, like their car or in temporary accommodation.”

By exploring how Big Issue operates, students see a social business in action. They are encouraged to consider how innovation, ethical decision-making and community action can combine to address entrenched social problems.

The programme also provides an opportunity for our Big Issue vendors to share their stories so that pupils hear lived experiences of homelessness and poverty.

We’re currently preparing to expand the programme across the UK. The ambition is for schools nationwide to access high-quality opportunities that spark informed, compassionate conversations about poverty and the experience of homelessness.

These discussions will help to nurture a generation that not only understands inequality, but feels empowered to tackle it.

Susan Lomax is Education Outreach Co-ordinator for Big Issue Education Programme

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