Membership

About St Vincent de Paul Society Members

Each day across Australia, Members of the St Vincent de Paul Society visit people in their homes, providing support, assistance, and companionship to people in need. This allows the Society to provide holistic support and to walk alongside the people they assist during what is for many, the most difficult time of their lives. Members provide a range of material and financial support such as food or food vouchers, clothing, furniture, assistance with utility and phone bills, costs associated with getting back into the workforce and back to school costs. Members can help people to budget more effectively, they make referrals to other services, and they undertake critical advocacy work.

Members, come from diverse backgrounds, experiences and beliefs, and bring a great depth of understanding, expertise, and compassion to their service. They are an integral part of the communities in which they live and work.

What do St Vincent de Paul Society Members do?

Society members provide help and support to people at risk of homelessness or experiencing disadvantage in all sorts of ways! Members are diverse and so are our activities, from youth-focused groups to conferences (groups) who support people in financial crisis, through to those who deliver food, visit people experiencing isolation, or even some groups who work together to build high quality furniture for people in need as they set up new permanent homes.

One of the key roles many members and groups (conferences) undertake is to provide direct support to people in financial crisis in their local communities. Through the Society, local groups are supported and empowered to assess needs, listen to people in need and assist them by providing:

• Food parcels, groceries and clothing
• Fuel cards
• Other every day necessities
• Support to deal with electricity, other utility companies, landlords or others in the interests the people we’re assisting
• Referrals to other relevant services, like housing services
• Assistance with completing forms and housing applications
• Assistance with bills (e.g. utility bills)
• Resources and information
• Support for people to apply for a No Interest Loan

Each year, Society members within their local conferences (groups) distribute over $8 million worth of support across NSW to their local communities – supporting more than 70,000 people. It’s an exciting and powerful group to become a part of.

Join as a member

Get involved! The Society would not exist without its members and volunteers. To find out about opportunities at Vinnies. click here

Join as a youth member

For youth and young adults interested in joining your local conference, and / or teachers interested in establishing a Mini Vinnies or High School / College Conference at your school, please do one of the following:

• Go to our youth website and fill in the form
• Call us on (02) 9560 8666
• Email us at youth.nsw@vinnies.org.au