International impact

Our mission commits us to provide support to those who are disadvantaged not only in our local community, but also overseas.

The Society in Australia fulfils this commitment by helping those in need in Asia and Pacific through the Overseas Partnerships Program comprised of Twinning, Projects, Emergency Relief and Assist A Student.

Overseas Partnerships Program

The Overseas Partnerships Program is coordinated on behalf of the Society in Australia by National Council. The Program is delivered through partnerships with St Vincent de Paul Societies in the following regions and countries:

Asia

Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Myanmar (Burma), Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand

Pacific

Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, and Solomon Islands

In addition to the above, the Council General International’s Oceania representative and National Council oversees working groups for Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste supporting their formation.

Twinning

Twinning refers to the supportive one-on-one partnership between a St Vincent de Paul Society council or conference with an equivalent Vincentian entity in an overseas partner country, according to Council General International guidelines.

Being twinned with an overseas council or conference promotes a spirit of understanding, friendship and solidarity among all Vincentians.

Twinned councils or conferences in Australia share:

• their spirituality through prayer
• their solidarity through letters
• financial resources through a basic quarterly, monetary contribution and an optional grant at Easter and Christmas time.

Projects

Overseas conferences or councils can develop and request funding for Community or Special Vincentian Support projects which Australian conferences or councils can chose to support.

Community Projects are designed to aid or build the capacity and self-sufficiency of people in the community where the conference operates.

Community Projects may support families through provision of livestock and seed for gardens or small enterprises in areas such as garment making, fishing and farming. 

Previous community projects funded by the St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia have included providing cows and goats, water systems, tailoring and other small livelihood programs.

Special Vincentian Support Projects provide overseas councils and conferences with the opportunity to request one-off funding for non-ongoing initiatives that support their effective and efficient administration.

Emergency Relief

During times of natural or humanitarian disasters impacting their country, our overseas partners or the Council General International’s Commission for International Aid and Development may ask the National Council of Australia for assistance.

If a request is received, our National Council will determine if this is appropriate and work with State and Territory Councils to assist where they can.

Previous emergency relief requests funded by the St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia have included emergency relief in Tonga after the volcanic eruption and humanitarian relief in Thailand for Pakistani refugees.

Assist A Student

Assist A Student provides the opportunity for individuals, groups, schools, organisations or Vincentian entities to support the educational needs of a student in one of our partner countries in a given year.

Reflecting the ethos of the St Vincent de Paul Society, Assist A Student allow us to share some of ourselves – what we have – with those in need in our neighbouring countries.

Running in Australia since 1996, the Assist A Student program is implemented in collaboration with our partner countries.

Your donation provides educational support to a student in one of our partner countries in a given year and will make a real impact on their ability to access education.