3 sixty-foot flexi buses

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

4 response mini-buses

Dynamic service responding to support requests from partners, statutory organisations and individuals to deliver welfare care wherever it is needed.

220 volunteers

Our highly trained volunteers are our greatest asset supporting vulnerable people on the streets of Belfast.

SOS Bus is a non-judgemental safe space where our trained volunteers provide community safety, first aid, welfare care and mental health intervention. All volunteers are fully trained so they can effectively help clients:

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• Providing transport to A&E or another place of safety. 

• Listening ear support

• Signposting advice, referrals to partner organisations

• Naloxone administration

• First aid

• Provisions; tea, coffee and soup

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We help anyone who is vulnerable, including those who are:

• Experiencing homelessness

• Suffering from poor mental health and suicidal thoughts

• Injured or unwell

• Suffering from substance misuse

• Victims of assault

• In fear of violence or crime

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2020 - Night Time Services

~ 3755 Volunteer Hours  751 Volunteers across   83 Shifts ~

430

Clients on board the SOS Bus

221

Cases of substance misuse

6

Suicide Interventions

138

Clients experiencing homelessness

168

Clients receiving listening ear support

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. We are playing our part in 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. Click here to find out more. 

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