SOS BUS

SOS Bus exists to provide crisis intervention and welfare support for vulnerable people in Belfast. Our 220 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

220 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:

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

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

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

Mental Health Intervention
Suicide Awareness and Intervention
Safe Talk
Listening Skills
Signposting - understanding referral pathways and materials.
Transport to A&E

Community Safety

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

2020 - Night Time Services

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

430

Clients on board the SOS Bus

221

Cases of substance misuse

Suicide Interventions

138

Clients experiencing homelessness

168

Clients receiving listening ear support

"My Sister went on a night out with friends and got way too drunk; it seems like her friends abandoned her and she was in no fit state to find her own way back. My sister means so much to me as we were all split up as children; now that we're older she stays with me at the weekends. If anything happened to her it would break my heart! I always worry that somebody would try and take advantage of her when she is out and thanks to the SOS Volunteers that didn't happen. I was so surprised that you have an SOS Mini-bus and were able to drop her back. I really just want to show my appreciation and say a big thank you to all the folks who helped, you are a real blessing to many."

Working in Partnership in our Community

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.

SOS Food and Provisions Response

SOS Bus has managed a dynamic presence over the city since the beginning of lockdown. We have an incredible resource in our volunteers who have risen to every challenge this season and adapted in their roles to support our community. SOS were contacted by old and new partners throughout 2020 with requests to provide logistical support or transport on new initiatives to help vulnerable and isolated people on the streets of Belfast. As a result, we were able to provide an additional 3352 volunteer hours supporting our community. We continue to provide ad-hoc logistical and transport services to local community projects. Click here to find out more.