NASNA Member Blog

streetvibes new blog

2008-07-24T13:05:00.000-07:00

Streetvibes has just created a blog. We intent to use it as a way to discuss issues in between editions as we only print monthly. We also plan on using it to follow up on stories in Streetvibes and provide readers with action alerts.

Streetvibes blog

Question with a vendor problem...

2008-07-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

Hi folks,

We have reached our 5th issue of Street Speech here in Columbus, Ohio. I can't even believe it has gone on this long. It's really quite amazing. We have had no difficult situations arise with vendors that could not be solved on our own. But, today was sort of an interesting circumstance. Story.

The downtown business association in Columbus has a copy of our vendor guidelines and have told us they will watch the vendors for anything that does not seem appropriate. Right or wrong as that may be, Tristan and myself cannot watch every corner of the street all the time and we don't have enough vendors at this time for them to police themselves. We pretty much function on honesty and trust. Generally, it works great. No problems so far.

I got a call today from someone with the downtown area saying that she went to buy a paper from a vendor and then was handed a pencil rather than a paper. She called us and let us know what had happened. Tristan and I went down to the courthouse to check it out. Upon approaching him he turned away and started putting his stuff away. Then when he knew we were coming towards him he tried to sell us a pencil. Seriously... I told him who we were and he acted like we never met. I asked him to give me his badge because he was violating his contract with us that stated he would not do this. He asked for a warning and this may have been to harsh, but I was thinking in the moment and just wanted the badge back. Anyways, he finally consented and said lets walk down the street. I was against this, but before I could say anything Tristan said that's fine. We were assuming he didn't want to be embarrassed by having his badge removed in front of the people he had received donations from. That is very possible. So, we walk down the street. He starts walking faster and I ask him where he is planning to do this and he points to the corner. Then he crosses the street and I ask for his badge one more time and he yells back, "Leave me alone man!" "Stay away from me!"

I really don't know what to do with this. I do not want someone out there with a badge selling pencils. Street papers are a good thing and not very expensive and we have put a ton of time into this thing. I am really quite upset. Do I call the police? Do I try and find him again? Tell the downtown business association to keep a watch out for him. I have a very good relationship with the woman that is part of that group. Do I just let it go?

Please, let me know your thoughts.
Brandon

Please Keep The Regina Streets Magazine in your thoughts.

2008-07-11T07:54:00.000-07:00

The Regina Streets Magazine in Regina, SK, Canada is a recent startup and has already run into great success...and difficulty. I have become friends with one of their founders, Greg.

They are not a member of NASNA, but we're all in this together, imo.

This is from their Facebook recently:

"Greetings…

It is hard to believe that roughly six weeks have gone by since our triumphant launch. These weeks have been chaotic and both Stacey and I have been disgustingly busy. So, before I say anything else, I want to apologize for not being more attentive to Facebook.

Our second paper hit the streets on June 17. It contains a rousing article by Dr. Joyce Green, some rather interesting articles by other authors, and some incredibly embarrassing errors. It wasn’t our best work but, again, we’re learning as we go along.

We got some really unfortunate news today. Someone complained about us and we were essentially shut down for the immediate future. Our vendors still fall under Regina’s anti-panhandling laws despite the fact that they now sell a publication. In order to keep distributing the magazine, they have to apply for ‘tags’, which are reserved for citizens in ‘good standing’. Failure to produce a ‘tag’ can result in up to a $5000 fine and we don’t want our vendors to take that kind of risk.

Stacey and I still have some copies of our June issue left. Rather than let them go to waste, we are going to sell them to anyone interested. eMail us at ReginaStreets@gmail.com if you would like to get a copy.

As for the future of the magazine, we are both rather shocked right now and don’t have a clue what we are going to do. We will refrain from making a comment at this time, but we will keep you updated as we learn more.

Peace.Greg"

and a more recent update:

"Hey....

I want to thank all of you for all the support you have provided and give you a bit of an update on our publication. I can not tell you how humbled Stacey, Julianna and I are by the attention and by all the incredibly nice things that people are saying about us. I also hope that this eMail finds you incredibly happy and healthy.

We are working on getting our people their permits and are anxiously awaiting word from the City. If they get their permits, we will be able to legally distribute the magazine (in our way) as of July 15th, 2008. Moreover, we have asked to be listed as "Interested Parties" when the Tag Permit bylaw comes up for review. We believe that we will be approved - the City of Regina is run by some incredibly intelligent, compassionate people who will realize that we are not a threat. In the event that we aren't approved, our magazine will not die, it will merely go underground for a little while.

Our publication is about one thing and one thing only. We exist to give people an opportunity to make a living wage doing what they are good at and what they are capable of. My friends who sell the magazine are united in one thing - they don't want your spare change, they want their lives to change. Our magazine is not about the articles, it is not about the pictures, it is not about the media, and it is certainly not about us and our egos. Our magazine is about giving some really amazing people a sense of hope and a real chance of freeing themselves from poverty.

In this 'fight', it is important to remember that most people don't resort to begging in the twilight years of a really happy, fulfilling life. Childhood abuse, mental illness, and substance abuse are epidemic amongst street populations. Mental illness and substance abuse create a particularly dangerous treadmill - when people get stuck on this treadmill, their very survival ends up in doubt.

I have no desire to get into a fight with the city. I have difficulty referring to myself as an activist. And I'm not doing this to thumb my nose at 'the establishment'. I'm doing this to improve Downtown Regina (which is where I make my home and where I spend the vast majority of my time). And, I am doing this to hopefully improve one or two lives and maybe give one or two people a little bit more hope - hope in one day living a better life, hope in no longer having to be 'a bum', and hope of one day actually being respected members of our society.

Hope is the most important factor in any kind of recovery. How can we expect people to get clean when we can't give them any reason to believe that tomorrow will be better than today?

It is very important to remember that our mode of distribution is our primary message. It is even more important to remember that I will fight to the bitter end for my people and for their right to economic opportunity and to free expression. The Regina Streets Magazine is not going anywhere but up.

Be peaceful and compassionate and may this message help alleviate suffering in our community and throughout the world.

Greg Hluska
OMPH"

NASNA Membership

2008-05-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that membership packets are due Monday May 19. Please send them to

Andy Freeze
117 E. 12th St.
Cincinnati, OH 45202

Thank you

Streetvibes Sales up 85% compared to 2007

2008-05-02T06:29:00.000-07:00

For immediate release

May 1, 2008
Contact: Georgine Getty, 421-7803 or 513-295-8969

Streetvibes Sells Out for Second Month in a Row

Cincinnati – While newspapers across the country are losing circulation, Streetvibes is having to print more copies to keep up with customer demand. The April edition of Streetvibes completely sold out, according to Georgine Getty, executive director of the Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless, which publishes Streetvibes.

The March edition of the paper also sold out, she says. Circulation has increased by 85 percent in the first four months of the year, compared to 2007.

“Our vendors have really been getting out there and selling the papers,” Getty says. “We owe a lot to the tenacity of the vendors. They are out there no matter what the weather, selling papers and spreading the word about poverty. We are also very grateful for the wonderful relationships they have built with their loyal customers.”

The Homeless Coalition had been printing 5,000 copies a month, but raised the number to 6,000 for the April edition. Because of increased demand for the paper, the next edition of Streetvibes will be 7,000 copies, Getty says.

“In this time of wide discussion in Cincinnati about poverty issues, homelessness, affordable housing and living wage jobs, we are pleased to see that people are turning to Streetvibes for a perspective on these issues that they can’t get from other publications,” she says.

Streetvibes features stories about the struggles and successes of homeless people, low-income families, urban life and social justice. Vendors learn entrepreneurship and sales skills by selling the paper for $1. Vendors keep 75 cents from each copy, and a quarter goes to printing costs.

One of the most colorful vendors is Cleo Wombles, who is a familiar sight in his clown nose and wig as he sells Streetvibes at Fifth and Walnut streets. Wombles also writes jokes for the paper.

“If you can make people laugh, they’ll buy from you,” he says.

Real Change in the NYT

2008-04-26T23:04:00.000-07:00

Annoyed that Seattle tourists had the gall to bitch to the press about the eyesore of "transients" in this city, author Jonathan Raban decided to take a homeless guy to lunch. He found Real Change vendor Fred Spruitenberg, and the result was a column in Sunday's New York Times. Fred, he found, was a real human being, with thoughts and interests and aspirations and imperfections, just like the rest of us. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's a really nice piece of writing.

Fred mentioned Goblin Market, a Christina Rossetti poem that helped Raban frame just what needs to be said about Seattle at this particular moment in time.

Like Fred, Seattle has been a longstanding client of the goblin merchants. The city is littered with expensive toys and baubles, like Paul Allen’s grand folly, the Experience Music Project, a globular, multicolored extravaganza designed by Frank Gehry and known as “the hemorrhoids” by employees of the public TV station that overlooks it, but which now appears to my eye as a cornucopia of goblin damsons, figs and pomegranates.
Likewise, the new $52 million, 1.3-mile streetcar line, a pet project of the mayor, which runs from downtown to the giant construction site of South Lake Union, and whose shiny red, orange and purple cars are cute, quaint and eerily underpatronized. This is the city that a couple of years ago came within an inch of spending $11 billion (including the cost of debt service) on a new monorail system, cool as an iPhone but of doubtful utility.
As the faint breeze from the east strengthens into the frigid wind of recession, Seattle will have to reckon with its weakness for the goblin stuff. A chastening reading of Fred’s favorite poem might be a good place to start.

Street Corner relaunches as Megaphone

2008-04-21T01:35:00.001-07:00

Hey NASNA,

In case you haven't heard the word, Vancouver's Street Corner has relaunched as Megaphone magazine. We decided to change our name so we could refresh our look and make some noise in this city.

We went with the name Megaphone because our vendors wanted a name that gave them a 'voice' and because there are two European papers with the same name (we got the 'it's all good' from both of them). We stayed with our same format (8" x 10.5 ", demi-tab), but added eight more pages (we're now 24 pages) and better quality paper. Vancouver is a bit of a delusional city (imagine if Pittsburgh thought it was Paris), so we hope a high-quality paper will silence/win over any doubters.

To celebrate our relaunch, we held an art auction and managed to raise a couple thousand dollars (we tried to keep the art cheap and ask for donations at the door). The goal of the organization is to now double the number of vendors to 30 by the end of the year and hire at least one staff member. The goal of the paper is to wake up Vancouver and raise a little hell (think Bryan Adams meets Triumph - you may have to be Canadian to get these references). MegaphoneMagazine.com should be up and running by early May.

Computer Programs

2008-04-03T11:21:00.001-07:00

We are updating our newspaper designing software. Currently we use Pagemaker but are switching to Adobe InDesign or Quark. Which do you use and do you have a preference or experiences with both or one in particular? Any insight would be helpful. Thanks

Andy

Content

2008-04-03T07:10:00.001-07:00

Can anyone give me some tips on how to develop content for the paper. It seems like for the past two months I haven't really gotten all the story ideas that I want until like the last week. So, for the first part of the month it's fairly relaxed and then the last week I am scrambling to get all the articles/photos together to my designer in time to have it published. So, anyone have suggestions on how to get stories that are relevant each issue and can come in a timely fashion?

Thanks!
Brandon

Selling Out of Papers

2008-03-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

For the first time in as long as I have been here, Streetvibes sold out of its March issue a week before the April issue arrives. I was curious what other papers do when they sell out of a current issue. We made a quick call to sell last month's issues for 10 cents instead of the regular 25 cents. Any other thoughts or ideas on this issue (I guess it is a good issue to have) Thanks

Street Speech in Columbus Dispatch

2008-03-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

There was an article in the Columbus Dispatch recently about Street Speech. Here is the link.

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/03/24/STREETPAPER.ART_ART_03-24-08_B3_UU9NTFL.html?print=yes&sid=101

2008-03-21T06:57:00.000-07:00

Hi all, It's Elizabeth here from Street Sights in Providence, RI (www.streetsights.org). We just marked our one year anniversary! We've increased our circulation to 2000, just took on three interns, and are aiming to make headway with our strategic plan.

I am writing in the hopes if hearing from fellow volunteer editors out there about how you keep chugging when so much is resting on your shoulders. I know delegation is key, but it can be tricky relying on folks for shared leadership who are facing their own life struggles and challenges. If anyone can shoot me an email at ElizabethOchs@gmail.com about setting up a time to chat, that would be great!

Thanks. You all continue to inspire me!

The Contributor - Nashville

2008-03-19T22:26:00.000-07:00

Our issue #3 is out!
So now we're on the verge of beating the 3-issue-limit curse of street papers. ;)

I'm committed and my team is committed, though as you know this is an absolutely exhausting process at times - one that makes you feel, at worse, that you need to be, well, committed.

Our main problem, as I see it, is still vendor recruitment. I read your advice to Columbus and that helps. We need bigger incentives. And I like the 50-papers once a vendor recruits a permanent vendor who sells 50 papers.

We have less than 10 vendors with less than 3 of them being reliable. We've trained probably more than 50 - handed out 15 free papers and a temp badge to all.

I know this can work. Nashville is certainly large enough. It's just very discouraging to feel like I'm putting so much work in to a product that is not seen.

Besides the vendor situation, we need to fundraise and sell advertising. That will come. We just don't have enough manpower to do it all right now. I sure can't.

On the plus side...
We've survived, so far, on donations that we haven't really needed to solicit and little-to-no advertising. Our content has been free-flowing and above par. When we started, I expected a 8-page issue. The first was 16. Second was 20 and third 24. I think I want to hold it there, or even reduce back to 16 and print more frequently. We're on about a 6-week cycle right now. As you all know, it's amazingly difficult to make a living and do this on the side for free...

So...I sit here and trust that the good things will continue to go well, and the weak things will improve. And that, in the end, this is all worth it. Right?

Alright! I'm Fucking Posting Something!

2008-03-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

OK. Israel's bitching because nobody but him ever fucking posts here. Like, this wasn't supposed to be Israel's fucking blog. It's our fucking blog. And I'm going to fucking post something right now. OK?

So, wow. Like, a NASNA blog. What's that mean? What are we going to do with our blog? Have you thought about it? Of course you haven't. I know I haven't. Me. Mister Fucking-President-of-NASNA-for-Life, until Laura took on the title.

So, if I haven't thought about it, I think you're pretty much off the hook.

I know. You're busy. Who has time for dumbfuck blogs?

This is different though. This is a way that we can really talk to and support each other. A place to discuss our very special problems that no one else knows about. A very cool place, where we can even talk about what we're seeing in our cities, and how we're responding to it.

Here's what I'll do. Make a commitment to post here once a week. I'll put it in my fucking planner, and try to remember to look at it. And I'll cross-post something from my blog. So that's two entries a week.

There's lots of shit I could talk about. I could post stuff that I'm having my class on Streetpapers, Homelessness, and Poverty read and talk about.

Or why I'm thinking more and more that relational cross-class work is the future of grassroots homeless organizing. Or post stuff from the NASNA Technical Assistance work we did last year. Maybe I'll put up photos of my kids. I wouldn't put anything past me. I could be putting crap up here all the time.

But if no one else is here, I'll eventually stop.

Here's the thing. Blogs are about relationships. Good ones have a community, and are important to people. We could get to know each other here. It would be easy. If it mattered to us.

I think it does. So, I've made my commitment. What's yours.

Make money and highlight great books!

2008-03-18T19:33:00.000-07:00

Weather you want to use book reviews to promote your bookshelf or just want to market the program itself through your newspaper and on-line - Powell's partner program is a great way to raise money for your organization.

Make 7.5% of each purchase made through your partner program.

Powell's partner program

It's quick and easy to get started and a great project for a volunteer or intern.

Check out Street Roots and Real Change's bookshelves!

Street Roots bookshelf

Real Change bookshelf

After you complete the easy steps than you can simply drop a code given by Powell's onto your website or blog that links straight to your bookshelf. Best part is that people don't have to only buy the books you recommend. As long as readers link through your website than you receive a percentage of the sales.

If you go to either Real Change's or Street Roots website you'll see the Powell's partnership logo located on the front page. We also use the program to encourage readers to purchase books we highlight through book reviews in the newspaper.

Oh, and, just so you know. Powell's is only one of the coolest bookstores in the world. Your readers won't be disappointed.

Three questions from Street Speech in Columbus

2008-03-17T19:21:00.000-07:00

At the NASNA blog we are starting a "Question of the week." This week we have three questions from our friends in Columbus, Ohio. Street Speech launched just last month and would love some advice.

Here's the questions.

1. Advertising. How go we get adverts into the paper?

2. We need more vendors. Street Speech is sellable, because our main vendor has sold almost 200 copies for two weeks of selling. He is just one vendor though. How do we get more vendors in more places?

3. This is the smaller of the three points, but what type of involvement do you get from the community for writers and photographers. I've gotten a pretty good mix of graphic designers, photographers, and artists but I am having a difficult time getting people to write or offer submissions. Any thoughts?

INSP conference registration (travel scholarship deadline March 21st)

2008-03-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

Dear Members,

As you know, the INSP annual conference this year will take place on the 19th-21st June, in Glasgow.

We would like to remind those of you who are thinking of applying for a travel bursary that the travel bursary deadline is the 21st March. It will not be possible to consider any applications for travel bursaries received after this date.

For general conference registration, the Conference Registration deadline is the 28th March.

We hope that you will be able to come to Glasgow and take part in what promises to be our most exciting conference yet!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

For information on the conference go to

INSP conference

Best wishes,

Helen Harvey
INSP Intern
International Network of Street Papers
C/O SCVO, Centrum Building
38 Queen Street,
Glasgow
G1 3DX
SCOTLAND
Tel: +44 (0) 141 225 8036
Fax: +44 (0) 141 248 8066
volunteer@street-papers.org

Non-profit bulk mail in the U.S.

2008-03-07T23:31:00.000-08:00

Whoever came up with the United States postal service non-profit bulk mailing system should be fired!

Is your organization ready for non-profit rates? Basically what it comes down to is do you have at least 200 pieces of mail (newspapers, fundraising letters) to send out on a regular basis. You'll have to do the math.

You basically need to fill out the forms available here

Business mail

At that point, my advice would be to have someone in your organization walk on down or call your local post-office and have them walk through the entire process. Of course, if you have two or three extra hours in your day or want to have a volunteer wade through it all.

Go for it

Does anyone have some good advice on this?

Create a blog and join the NASNA network

2008-03-07T23:17:00.000-08:00

Creating a blog and joining the NASNA network in the blog-world is really as easy as one, two, three. Create your blog here

Join the NASNA network

What you do with the blog is really up to your organization. You can just create the blog to make it easier to post and take part in on-line conversations happening on the NASNA blog or use it to network, publish timely news, fundraise or simply tell your organizations story.

Check out some examples of organizations using a blog to reach a broader audience.

Street Roots

Street Sights

Street Sense

Possible funding for your editorial team in Canada

2008-03-07T22:57:00.000-08:00

Papers can receive easily thousands of dollars every year for the development of the editorial line (like the salary of the editor in chief) or the financial plan (promotion, salary for advert vendor, etc.) by the Canada Magazine Fund (CMF). They can apply around August and receive money for several years.

Heritage Canada

Again, thanks Serge...

Ways to get assistance for bulk mailings and subscriptions in Canada.

2008-03-07T22:43:00.000-08:00

In the U.S. we have a process that non-profits can go through to receive a discount on postage for bulk mailings and subscriptions. We asked Serge Lareault with L’Itinéraire what the process is like in Canada. Here's his reply.

There's no specific program for the mailing of non-profit organisations but we have other ways to have less cost for the post.

They can apply to the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) of Heritage Canada. That's our program for magazine mailing. They give money for those costs but only for the papers you sell by subscription and send by mail.
They give around the half of the post price for a paper. It's good when you send many papers every week.

The website is:

Postage Assistance Program

Another way to economize for the post in Canada is to use your federal deputy. It's free post charge for a letter sent from a federal deputy office. Many non profit organisations bring their post to their deputy and he sends it for them. They don't do this for every letter, but for an important mailing like your annual donation campaign or your monthly subscribers, when you have hundreds of letters to send. He puts a letter inside saying as a deputy, he uses his right of free posting to help de non-profit organisation.

Finally, it's possible to ask to Post Canada for advertising in the paper or a donation if you are a charity.

We can also reduce our mailing for donation campaign with a free service in Canada: Canadahelps.org. It's a website for e-donations using by small charities. With that, after only one year, we have reduced our mailing of 30% for donations.

The website is:

Canada helps

Cheers.

Serge Lareault
Éditeur et directeur général de L’Itinéraire
Président de l’International Network of Street Papers (INSP)

Thanks!
__________________________

Spare Change and Whats Up Magazine join forces

2008-03-07T22:41:00.000-08:00

Street Roots wins award from Trail Blazers and Hands on Greater Portland

2008-03-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

Communicating your editorial position and needs

2008-03-05T22:05:00.000-08:00

Does your organization have a one-sheeter on how to get published or an editorial policy? How about a publication schedule for vendors, writers and advertisers?

Here are a few examples that may help.

How to get published

Content policy

Publication schedule

Want to recruit interns to to help with the newspaper? Here are some examples from Real Change.

Reporter

Editorial assistant

Can we get this party started already?

2008-03-05T21:15:00.000-08:00

We just finished up one kick-ass strategic planning session in Portland in February. All the details will be delivered soon.

In the meantime, I've been charged by the NASNA board to get this party started.

How do we get the blog rolling in a way that will engage NASNA members?

Do we want the blog to be a tool for education and communication? Can it be an avenue for newspapers to share promotional material, lessons learned, and triumphs on this long road? Have questions about your vendor program, sales techniques, feeling the political pressure of speaking power to truth?

I've been working in the street newspaper movement for eight years, and I still have a lot o questions. Twenty. Ok, is it a person, place or thing? Shit, that was a hard one.

I know different papers are at different places. For a new paper on the block, you might be shitting your pants right about now and overwhelmed with deadlines, vendors and trying to juggle finances, content and the brother down on the block screaming at you to get your shit together. Well, most likely that's never going to change. But there are ways to manage things and grow your organization in a way that's healthy and effective. Fortunately for you, several newspapers have made it to year one, and then two, on and on. From a distance any molehill can seem like a mountain, and it's very easy to lose yourself in survival mode and not recognize the forrest due to the trees. Except for those of you on the flatlands. Maybe a thunderstorm from a soft rain.

You might be a group of individuals huddled in a basement of a church or on your college campus trying to figure out your next steps. Maybe you're a part of a larger organization and the lines get blurry for your paper in the context of organizational priorities. Maybe you want to bring down the man, or simply create an honest and healthy environment for your community through professional journalism and offering people on the streets money. Regardless of your journey as an organization, if you are a NASNA member, that makes us family.

My friends, if you're in it to win it, which I'm assuming your are if you're working in this business. Please, chime in with your knowledge, creativity, questions and comments. We need each other!

Peace,

Israel Bayer
Street Roots and NASNA