Teams will consist of 4-6 people. Where there are volunteers under the age of eighteen (18), two adults will accompany them, ie, two (2) adults plus (4) other volunteers.

All volunteers must be aged sixteen (16) years or over.

Each team will have a team leader and a driver. The driver and the team leader can be the same person. The team leader is responsible for the co-ordination of the group for that night and the condition of the bus after their patrol.

If a member of the team is not available to go out on their rostered night, it is their responsibility to contact the Diocesan Office as soon as they know. If it is a weekend, please contact other numbers that you will be provided with.

If there are only three (3) people in a group for a particular night, the van IS NOT to go out.

The Driver will be required to provide his/her Driver’s license number on the Volunteer Information Request form and the log sheet. The driver is responsible for the van for the night. The route and stops for the night are in the logbook in the van and have UBD references.

All drivers must be aged twenty-five (25) years or over.

Drivers and Volunteers MUST NOT be under the influence of alcohol or drugs whilst out on Vinnies Van.

Drivers must obey all road rules. Any traffic infringements incurred during the night are the sole responsibility of the driver. This includes all speeding and "red light" camera offences.

Seat belts must be worn whilst the vehicle is in motion. The driver is responsible to ensure volunteer passengers use the seat belts.

Before departure and upon arrival at the Seven Hills Centre, please do a visual check of the van (tyres, interior light globes, etc). If anything needs attention please record it on the log sheet provided.

All volunteers who board Vinnies Van must fill out the log sheet, which is to remain in the van AT ALL TIMES. Each volunteer must complete their own name and signature for insurance purposes.

For no reason, other than for review by the Vinnies Van Committee, is the log sheet or operation manual to be removed from the van.

Complete the initial information (such as the team members for the evening, departure time, etc) before setting out from Seven Hills.

Check the previous night(s) log for any messages or information that may affect your night ahead (such as requests, trouble spots, etc.).

Complete the log throughout the night, even recording stops where no one has visited.

The Log Sheet MUST BE completed each night. For insurance purposes, the name of each member of the team MUST BE written in the log.

The Log Sheets form a vital part of the nightly operation of Vinnies Van. Accurate details of the people visited, any problems encountered and any other relevant information can be very important for the team on subsequent nights.

In the console of the van there is a UBD Street Directory and in the operation manual there is an excerpt of the area patrolled.

Volunteers of the St. Vincent de Paul Vinnies Van for the Parramatta Diocese are expected to behave in such a way that reflects the basic Christian principle of the Society that seeks to serve people in a non-judgmental manner. Poor behaviour would naturally reflect more on the Society than on the individual volunteer.

Expensive jewellery and clothing creates an instant barrier. Try to dress very casually. This will make you accessible to the people you encounter. Ensure that all volunteers wear shoes that cover the whole foot, eg, sneakers to prevent injury.

You should not pass on your personal details to clientele. This is for your own privacy, safety and peace of mind.

As a volunteer you are covered by St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church Insurance's Public Liability Policy. In the event of an injury or accident, please provide a thorough report (through witness details) as soon as possible. There is an incident report and accident report sheet in the back of the logbook. In the case of an accident or injury please complete the sheet.

Vinnies Van is not equipped to offer medical assistance. In many cases it is wise to contact an Ambulance. No volunteer will personally administer first aid to clients of the van. If medical attention is required, telephone 000 and give street references.

The reality of life on the street is that we may be faced with someone who has been injured, suffering a drug overdose, severe drunkenness, etc. Another reality of the street is AIDS and Hepatitis. Commonsense must prevail in any emergency. In many situations it is best to contact an ambulance. Knowledge of basic first aid, as well as vaccination against Hepatitis would be of benefit for regular patrollers.

Begging for money or cigarettes is quite common. Under no circumstances should volunteers provide clients with money or cigarettes. If you do offer money etc., this puts pressure on volunteers on future evenings to do the same.

Safety of volunteers is of paramount importance. Vinnies Van will be in liaison with the local Police. The local police will have a map of the locations and approximate times we will be stopping at these locations.

If client behaviour is threatening volunteers, do not hesitate to call the Police. The alternative is to pack up and leave. Note this poor behaviour in the logbook so the team on the following evening will not return to that location. It is quite acceptable to set out easily understood guidelines for expected behaviour. If you do this with confidence the clients will often listen and act accordingly.

If you do need to call 000, do not call in front of anyone. Call from inside the van.

Do not get involved in any brawls or fights that may be going on in any circumstance.

Please ensure that all the doors in the van are always locked while you are in the van.

1. Pick up keys.

2. Ensure that there are enough people for Patrol. If there are less than four (4) people, the van does not go out.

3. Check logbook for requests or incidents.

4. Load van with hot water and food.

5. Make sure that there are enough cups, sugar, coffee and stirrers.

6. Check the condition of the van.

7. Fill out log sheet.

8. Leave Centre.

1. Make sure that the van is parked in a well-lit area.

2. Open the back of the van and offer food and beverages to people.

3. Before leaving, ensure that the area has been cleaned (Garbage bags are in the van). The Council does not look favourably on mess being left behind.

4. Enter details on log sheet.

Many people who volunteer for Vinnies Van may not have had an experience like this before. The need to debrief is an essential part of the journey home. Spend a bit of time to talk with each other about...

What were some of the good things that happened tonight?

What was disturbing about tonight?

How did I help someone tonight?

What did other people teach me?

Possibly finish off with a prayer and thank everybody for the work they did tonight.

1. Clean out van.

2. Throw out any unused sandwiches and cakes.

3. Put all the food back in storage and everything else in its place. In doing this, we ensure the freshness of the food that we offer to the people that we visit.

4. Complete log sheet

5. Return keys.

6. Go home! Tomorrow comes quickly!

Vinnies Van is fully insured for drivers over the age of 25. The driver is not liable for the expense of repairing the van in the event of an accident (unless the driver is driving in such a condition, contrary to the conditions of the insurer’, eg. driving under the influence of alcohol).The main thing is for the van to be kept on the road, as a large number of people depend on the service we provide. Reporting an accident immediately will reduce the amount of time that the vehicle is off the road.

There is a mobile phone that is situated in the van. This mobile phone is to be used in extreme circumstances. These circumstances may include:

- To ring 000

- To ring a refuge/hostel to pick up someone

- To call the police station

- To ring NRMA

- To call an authorised person to debrief after an incident

- To call parents in the case of a late running Vinnies Van

- And any other instance that is deemed extreme by the Team Leader.

All phone calls must be logged onto the Log sheet. All calls are itemised on the bill so it is possible to monitor all calls.

There may arise a time where people ask you for places to go or a lift to a refuge/hostel/home. No one other that Vinnies Van volunteers are permitted on the van. This is for your own safety and for insurance purposes. If the case does arise, there is a list of places that can be contacted for referral. The best thing to do is to call the Homeless Persons Information Centre. The phone numbers are in the logbook.

We can give out cards with Centre details and they are able to request a blanket from there.

When a group is patrolling on a Saturday night, milk has to be picked up from National Foods. The address is Castlereagh Street, Penrith. There is a fax at the back or front of the operation manual folder, which must be shown to the guard on duty to get our milk. Please ensure that the fax is returned, as we need it each week.

Every night, before the Van goes out, there is a phone number to ring for the collection of Doughnuts. Please call this number and follow the directions, which you will be given.

The van is equipped with five (5) personal alarms. Please wear these alarms when outside the van. There is a torch on the alarm, an alarm that goes off as you hold your finger on it or if you pull out the string at the back it will be a continuous alarm.

The Driver is responsible for the driving of the bus. The Driver of the van is responsible for the condition of the van that evening with liaison with the Team Leader. The driver is responsible for following the designated routes outlined on the front of the logbook.

The Team Leader is responsible for the group that goes out on patrol that particular evening. They are responsible for the tidiness of the van, the decisions that need to be made that night, such as, phone calls, when to leave.

The Team Leader (or in the case where the Team Leader is also the driver, a person the Team Leader chooses) will lead the discussion from the last stop to the base.

The Team Leader will report any incidents or requests to the Management Committee or Diocesan Office the following day.

The Team Leader is to ensure that the Log Sheet is filled out correctly and completely.

The Team Leader will ensure that the van is left in an acceptable condition for the next team to go out.