3 sixty-foot flexi buses

Our big buses operate as hubs in the city centre from which our volunteers provide welfare and medical care.

4 response mini-buses

Our response teams use mini-buses to bring vulnerable people around the city to the big buses, where volunteers can provide in-depth care.

220 volunteers

Our highly trained volunteers are our greatest asset. They provide the care and support that our clients need.

The central pillar of our work is our Night Time Service, a volunteer led, street based welfare service delivered on Friday and Saturday nights in Belfast city centre. We create safe spaces on the streets of Belfast during the weekend nights and put our trained, caring volunteers out to the places where the need is greatest.

​

What services does the SOS Bus provide? 

• Professional medical attention

• Transport to hospital, home or other place of safety by SOS support vehicles

• Emotional care and listening ear services

• Signposting to statutory and community service providers

• Refreshments - tea, coffee, soup and food

• Provisions - such as sleeping bags

SOS NI clients include people who are:

• Victims of violent and non-violent crime

• Suffering from poor mental health considering self-harming or taking their own lives

• Homeless 

• Under the influence of alcohol or drugs

• Injured - Unable to get home or to hospital

• Isolated, lost or separated from friends

SOS Bus is a non-judgemental space in which everyone is treated equally and our volunteers can provide the right level of support to help each client. Our volunteers regularly help young people get home to their families, provide refreshments and emotional support to homeless people, and signpost individuals with complex needs to the right organisations. All volunteers are fully trained so they can effectively help clients with all variety of issues.

​

Since we began operating in 2007, our volunteers have engaged with 351,489 people on the streets of Belfast, provided in-depth medical and caring services to 13,711 vulnerable people, and have been proven to save at least 25 lives.

​

I would like to thank you for your help on Friday night at T-Vital. You’re a great organisation and there aren’t enough like you!

"

"

An SOS Bus client, 2016