#INSP2018: Summit scholarships opened doors to inspire more street paper staffп

An additional 14 delegates from 9 countries were able to attend this year’s Global Street Paper Summit in Glasgow thanks to the support of the INSP 2018 scholarships.The annual scholarship programme allows international street paper staff – from the likes of Brazil, Argentina and Macedonia – to join us at the Summit and share in a week of inspiring talks, ideas and networking.Quiver Watts, Editor of San Francisco street paper Street Sheet in the US, said the place at the Summit gave them the framework to continue to develop the paper and inject new levels of enthusiasm into it.

“This Summit is important for me because it allows me to contextualise the work we do as part of an international movement, and motivates me to push harder to make the paper successful and beneficial to our vendors,” they said.

“I came back with a lot of energy to put into expanding the paper and incorporating new ideas into our projects.”

“The Summit truly helps give me the motivation I need for the following year and the struggles to come.”

Scholarship support goes towards funding travel and delegate places at the Summit each year. This year, 43 street papers from 26 different countries were able to make it to INSP’s home city of Glasgow for the 3-day event in August.

Emily Taylor, Director of US street paper One Step Away based in Philadelphia, told us how the Summit is a much-needed source of support in challenging times.

“As the only staff member of my street paper, the INSP Summit is an invaluable experience, providing me direct contact with other street paper colleagues, and showing our shared goals. I learn about what works and what doesn’t, and leave the conference refreshed, re-energised, and motivated.”

She continued: “Sometimes street papers can be really hard, and the work can be overwhelming; the Summit helps me see the greater purpose and effects of street papers. And it truly helps give me the motivation I need for the following year and the struggles to come.”

Aneta Risteska, Editor of Macedonian street paper Lice v Lice, told us how the Summit helps her to remember why street papers are such important enterprises.

“The street press is a powerful tool in the fight against poverty and social exclusion, and the Summit is seen as an excellent opportunity for sharing good practices, different concepts, approaches and successful strategies for the development of street papers and programmes related to vendors and their involvement,” she said.

“Every visit to Summit results in lots of ideas and inspiration for even more creative steps within our organisation, whose main aim is social inclusion and positive social changes.”

“I hope our paper can make long lasting connections with other papers throughout the world.”
Justin Gaudian attended the Summit for the first time, on behalf of new street paper Two Way Street, who joined the network in 2017. He explained the benefit of Summit attendance, which wouldn’t have been possible without INSP’s scholarships.

“Being able to attend the INSP Summit has not only provided me with an opportunity to network with the larger street paper community, but it has also opened up my eyes to the world of social enterprise and innovation. This opportunity has also helped further refine my role with Two Way Street as a Board Liaison and my ability to report lessons learned back to Two Way Street’s core team,” he said.

María Portilla, of Mexican street paper Mi Valedor, discussed the changes she made after attending #INSP2018.

“It was very important to attend because it reminds me that I’m not the only person trying hard and working for the same purpose; that street papers have a major impact and an objective worth working for,” she said.

“For me in my role as Director and Editor, I focused on the internal structure and the wellbeing of the staff when I got back, and applied all the knowledge I’d learned. We are still building blocks, but I returned much more confident to take on the role of Director.”

Colleen Cosgriff, Case Manager at US street paper Street Sense, spoke of her plans to continue working with international colleagues throughout the year to come, thanks to working relationships formed at the Summit.

“I hope our paper can make long lasting connections with other papers throughout the world. Not only can we continue to learn more from each other, we can also collaborate on articles and other content,” she said.

“I hope we can think of more creative ways to raise money and awareness so we can continue to provide opportunities for our vendors.”

(Меѓународна мрежа на уличен печат, со седиште во Глазгов, www.insp.ngo )