SOS Bus NI

SOS Bus exists to provide crisis intervention and welfare support for vulnerable people in Belfast. Our 200 highly trained volunteers are dedicated to providing unconditional care and work towards helping reduce pressure on the emergency services.

4 response mini-buses 

3 sixty-foot flexi buses

200 Volunteers

SOS Bus is a non-judgemental safe space where our trained volunteers provide welfare support, first aid, mental health intervention and community safety. All volunteers are fully trained so they can effectively help clients. We help anyone who becomes vulnerable, including those who are: 

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  • Victims of assault

  • Experiencing homelessness 

  • In fear of violence or crime

  • In need of listening ear support 

  • Victims of substance misuse

  • Injured or unwell

  • Lonely or isolated

  • Experiencing suicidal thoughts

Welfare Support

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  • Shelter

  • Listening skills

  • JAM Card friendly

  • Refreshments - tea, coffee, soup, bread

  • Provisions - warm clothes, flip flops, sleeping bags

  • Support and transport to get home safe/to a place of safety

  • Mobile phone charging

First Aid

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  • First aid provision

  • Defibrillators

  • Harm reduction and substance use support

  • Naloxone provision

  • Transport to ARC/A&E

  • Referral to PHA funded partners e.g. Drug Outreach Team

Mental Health

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  • Mental Health Intervention

  • Suicide Awareness and Intervention

  • Safe Talk

  • Listening Skills

  • Signposting - understanding referral pathways and materials. 

  • Transport to A&E

Community Safety

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  • Acting as part of a strategic network during the Night Time Economy

  • Experiencing homeless Support - referral to partners, transport to a place of safety

  • Signposting Hub

  • Refuge for those in fear of violence/assault

  • Trained by PSNI and Rowan Centre in assault and crisis intervention

  • Responding to PSNI welfare calls

Day Time and Night Time Programmes

 

Monday - Friday - 2pm-6pm 

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​Friday and Saturday Nights - Shaftsbury Square - 10pm-2:30am 

 

 

2020 - Night Time Services

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~ 3755 Volunteer Hours ~ 751 Volunteers across ~ 83 Shifts ~

430 

Clients on board the bus 

221 

Cases of substance abus

6 

Suicide Interventions 

138 

Clients experiencing homelessness 

168 

Clients receiving listening support 

Working in Partnership in our Community

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SOS NI works in partnership with the emergency services, statutory services, other charities, and businesses, schools, universities and community groups to meet the serious social problems that our volunteers encounter, making Belfast a safer place for everyone. Working in close collaboration with the Police and Ambulance service, we are able to clearly evidence our ability to mitigate aspects of crime and lower unnecessary hospital admissions.