ON YOUR PITCH MODULE 3

OTHER PEOPLE ON THE STREETS As well as yourself, there are lots of other types of people who make a living from the streets. These include but aren’t limited to beggars, buskers, newspaper vendors. You have to accept this and aim to get on as smoothly as possible with these people, and if you have the same pitch for a while it can be very beneficial (e.g, newspaper man looking out for you) If there are any problems, please tell the office ASAP and one of us can come out and try and resolve the problem properly. Taking the matter into your own hands could result in you losing your badge, regardless of who is in the wrong.

CASH HANDLING You are working in a vulnerable environment so you need to be AWARE. Try not to carry too much cash on you at once, if you’re having a good day why not save some money in the office and you can pick it up whenever you need it. Don’t keep all your money in one place, use different pockets/wallets, be careful of what people can see when you’re getting their change out. You need to budget for the rest of the day and week. Think about how many magazines you’ll need to buy tomorrow, how many do you need to buy a day to reach your target?

SAFETY AWARENESS If you are getting trouble from ANYONE, keep your calm and approach somebody near for help [if required]. This is why it’s good to have a rapport with those working nearby (Echo man, buskers etc) then you aren’t so alone. Even a passer-by can be useful, and should be able to phone the police if needed. Make sure you can always be seen. It’s not a good idea to work in the dark, especially when there are lots of drunk people. The office phone number is on your badge and in the magazine so if you need any of the staff to come out and help you with something then don’t hesitate to phone.

SAFETY AWARENESS Be aware of your surroundings. Keep an eye out for delivery vans/bicyclists if you’re in a busy area If your pitch is blocked off due to building works, don’t get in the way, come back to the office and we’ll go up and see if there’s an alternative place you can stand where you won’t get scooped up by a digger! Be mindful of the weather. The metro newspaper has daily weather forecasts if you’re unsure. Standing out all day in the pouring rain or blistering sun is never good for your health, be prepared.

CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE COMPLETED MODULE 3!