The UK is experiencing an employment crisis. In the aftermath of Covid and Brexit, many industries are finding it hard to fill key roles. There are currently 1.3 million job vacancies across the country, according to ONS figures. Yet there are also 1.2 million people registered as unemployed, and 15 million people trapped in poverty.
Against the backdrop of a rapidly rising cost of living, the latest initiative from Big Issue Group aims to address this predicament. Big Issue Recruit is a brand-new initiative to bridge the gap between recruiters who are crying out for workers and the excellent candidates who have previously struggled to get in the door.
The Big Issue was launched some 31 years ago with a radical model that to this day offers some of the UK’s most marginalised people a hand up, not a handout. Every week, 1,000 or more people who have experienced poverty can earn a living by buying the magazine for £1.50 and selling it for £3. Every week, readers like you are part of that movement to unlock opportunity for our vendors.
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In recent years, our continuing dedication to changing lives through enterprise has seen the launch of Big Issue Invest, which supports social businesses and charities to deliver social, economic, and environmental impact across the United Kingdom. We have also developed an eBikes scheme to create employment opportunities for the marginalised in Bristol. This soon moves to Aberdeen. We are part of Big Exchange, which is all about finding ethical ways to manage your money and savings, better for people and planet.
Big Issue Recruit continues this tradition by breaking down the barriers faced by marginalised people who traditionally have been ignored as potential recruits, even when they have transferable skills that would be of great benefit to employers.
