Salvos making Sydney streets safer
Nate Brown is the coordinator for Salvos Street Teams. (Credit: Photo by Cal Harmer)
The inner-city streets of Sydney are being made safer on Friday and Saturday nights over summer through the help of the Salvos Street Teams program.
Partnering with the NSW Government, the City of Sydney and the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation, The Salvation Army has established a “Safe Space” in Sydney Square (next to Town Hall) to offer first aid, water, transport information and phone chargers to vulnerable people who might be intoxicated or affected by drugs.
Volunteers are also divided into groups of three or four and work with NSW Police to help create a safe environment in George Street stretching from Haymarket down to The Rocks.
The NSW Government has invested $30,000 to support the Salvos Street Teams trial, along with $40,000 from the City of Sydney.
Nate Brown, who coordinates the Salvos Street Teams, says this initiative has been in the making for a number of years to help minimise crime, especially assaults, in the city centre.
"It's an initiative based on prevention, so hopefully we can step in before these assaults happen," he says.
“It’s busy on the streets and there are a lot of people drinking on Friday and Saturday nights and it’s been amazing how often we’ve been able to help people out with simple, practical support.
“In some situations that can mean the difference in having a great night or a terrible night; having a good outcome [or] having a bad outcome.”
For Ralph and Kathy Kelly, this initiative is close to their hearts. After losing their son, Thomas, who was attacked in Sydney’s King Cross in 2012, they formed the Thomas Kelly Foundation to help reduce acts of violence associated with alcohol. They then came on board to support the Salvos Street Teams initiative.
“Many parents will owe so much to the Take Kare Ambassadors [also known as the Salvos Street Team], but few will ever know that their son or daughter got home safely because a team of people volunteered their time to come to their children’s side when they needed it the most,” said Mr Kelly at the Salvos Street Teams launch on 5 December.
About 60 members from the Australian community and The Salvation Army have volunteered for the initiative across a three-month period.
From 10pm to 4am volunteers have been able to help people find transport, assist unwell members from the community, help individuals who are intoxicated find their friends after being separated and even help tourists find accommodation.
“A young lady who had recently arrived from Italy had no idea where she was. We found her sitting on the sidewalk at 2am, completely overwhelmed and very vulnerable. She had no accommodation for the night so we helped her get to a backpackers,” said Nate.
The Salvos Street Teams have even handed out thongs to people who have lost their shoes. “It’s a really practical expression of help that plays a really important role in the wider community,” said Nate.
Volunteers include school leavers and university students right through to people in their 60s and 70s. Each volunteer has received training, learning to face different scenarios and each group has a volunteer with first-aid training.
“It’s amazing hearing from them at the end of each shift how rewarding they have found the experience, how much they’ve enjoyed being able to provide such simple support,” said Nate.
Nate says The Salvation Army is hoping the Salvos Street Team trial will become a permanent program.
Individuals can still volunteer to be part of the Salvos Street Teams initiative. Go to salvos.org.au/streetteams to sign up.
Comments
Merriman