St Vincent de Paul Society Jobs

About the St Vincent de Paul Society (England & Wales)

The St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) is a Christian anti-poverty charity that has been active since 1844 and forms part of an international movement working in more than 150 countries. In England and Wales it is a registered charity (no. 1053992) with a national office at Allenby House, Rees Way, Bradford, and a further office in London. Its stated purpose is to tackle poverty in all its forms through practical, person-to-person help, offered to anyone regardless of faith, race, gender or background. Around 9,000 volunteer members, organised into local groups called Conferences, sit alongside a paid staff team.

Community Support Centres and outreach

SVP does not describe itself as a hostel or supported-housing provider; its accommodation-related work happens through eleven "St Vincent's" Community Support Centres and outreach projects. These are located in Cardiff (Ely Bridge), Bradford, Leeds, Sheffield (a furniture re-use project), Newcastle (a city-centre hub plus a Deaf Centre), Birkenhead on the Wirral, Brighton (Tower House), Brixton in London, Southend-on-Sea and Chorley. Services vary by centre but include welfare, housing and debt advice, immigration and asylum support, foodbanks, free hot meals and drop-in cafés, counselling, befriending, furniture and household goods, and wellbeing activities. The Southend centre explicitly offers homelessness support and in-reach and outreach work, and the Wirral centre is aimed at people affected by poverty, isolation, addiction and homelessness. A mobile "Vinnie Van" takes outreach into communities around Bradford.

Who SVP supports

The charity works with people who are struggling financially, out of work or education, socially isolated or cut off from community support. Particular strands of work cover migrants, refugees and people seeking asylum, people in prison, older people, children and young people (through Vinnie Camps and youth groups), and people who are lonely and in need of visiting or befriending.

Working at SVP

SVP describes itself as a supportive, mission-driven employer. It has been an accredited Living Wage Employer since 2021 and holds Investors in People Silver accreditation. Staff are asked to have sympathy with Christian values, but the organisation is clear that it welcomes people of all faiths or none. Benefits listed on its website include flexible working, a pension scheme, holiday entitlement that increases with service, a birthday day off, an Employee Assistance Programme, specialist healthcare services, training and development, national employee discounts and a Cycle to Work scheme.

Typical roles

Vacancies are advertised through a Ciphr iRecruit portal and are either frontline posts in the Community Support Centres (such as centre facilities, advice, outreach and project roles) or support-service roles at the national office. The volume of paid vacancies is small at any one time.

• Head office: Allenby House, Rees Way, Bradford BD3 0DZ
• Phone: 0207 703 3030 | Email: info@svp.org.uk
• Website: svp.org.uk