Vinnies Assist

What is Vinnies Assist?

Vinnies Assist is the Society’s NSW Statewide Resource Centre. It is the gateway to supports of St Vincent de Paul Society by making it easier for you, and the people you assist, to access information, referral pathways and discuss solutions including how to navigate the vast array of support opportunities within the St Vincent de Paul Society. 

Vinnies Assist is a team of Society People (volunteers, employees and hopefully members too), who help connect people we assist to the many care and support programs, referral pathways internally and externally and provides valuable information to anyone reaching the Society across NSW. Vinnies Assist places the person we assist at the centre of all we do. We provide early intervention wrap around support at the first interaction with the Society. 

The team will link callers to:

• Care and Support from Conferences or Vinnies Support Centres (VSC)
• Referral pathways into Vinnies Services
  • Disability and Inclusion Services
  • Health Services
  • Housing and Homelessness Services
• Appropriate referral pathways to external organisations if we do not have capacity to assist at the time of call
• Information and services that are relevant to the callers needs
• Staff, members and volunteers in navigating the Society’s services and directories

Vinnies Assist is a gateway to information and a resource centre that can be utilised by our Conferences, our Members, Volunteers and Staff to obtain up to date information about all of the Society’s teams which includes (Vinnies Services, Members Volunteers and Regional Operations (MVRO), Retail, Corporate Services (IT, People & Culture, Finance, Governance, Strategy), Fundraising and Communications.
  
Vinnies Assist is inspired by the Society’s vision of a ‘One Society’ that works ‘to shape a more just and compassionate Society’ and to offer a ‘hand up’ to people experiencing disadvantage.

At Vinnies Assist we aim to share the ‘One Society’ experience with anyone who calls us, by referring them quickly and easily to  the services who can help.

What does Vinnies Assist do?

• Help people we assist find the best support offered by the Society across NSW
• Provide early intervention wrap around support at the first interaction with the Society
• Provide information about the Society to members, volunteers, employees and communities
• Provide intake and referral pathways to the Society’s programs which are operated by Vinnies Services 
• Provide referrals to Vinnies Support Centres (VSC) and Conferences that provide care and support 
• Take complaints and escalate as appropriate
• Direct people to our pastoral care services 
• Connect callers to our employees as required
• Connect callers with retail, fundraising and donation teams as required

What doesn’t Vinnies Assist do?

• Provide the ‘care and support’ which our members provide or make commitments to callers about what support they will be provided with by a Conference of a Vinnies Support Centre (VSC). The assessment of the person’s needs, and decisions about what support we can provide are made by Conferences or Vinnies Support Centres, Vinnies Assist makes it easier for people to find their local support
• Make a commitment that a person we are assisting will be accepted by a service we refer them to, decisions about accepting referrals are made by the service receiving a referral
• Refer a person to a service that has no vacancies, or they are not eligible to access

When Should I call or email Vinnies Assist?

There are many reasons to call or email Vinnies Assist. 

Some reasons may be: 

• I am assisting someone who needs help and I am not sure where to refer them  
• I am assisting someone who seeking support from a Conference 
• I am assisting someone who needs accommodation tonight 
• I have a Person we Assist (PWA) with an unusual request
• I would like some more information on becoming a member or volunteer
• I would like to be referred to a Vinnies Service
• I am unsure of what to do or who to talk to
• I need to make a complaint or provide feedback

How do I contact Vinnies Assist?