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Redfern Task Force This is the Story of the Special Task Force set up by St Vincent de Paul to work in the Redfern Area. This Task Force has been doing a wonderful work in this area for over 20 years. In the early nineteen-eighties an appeal went out to all regions in Sydney for members to join Task Force. The original membership, was of all ages but predominantly young men and women. Many had never had any exposure to the Vincentian Society. This newly established Conference, with its famous yellow Datsun car, originally operated from Young Street in the city (the original Society headquarters), then later from the store in Chippendale and eventually from 125 Pitt Street, a terrace house in Redfern acquired in the 1980s. TASK FORCE REDFERN was established as a Special Work Conference in 1977 with Robert Fitzgeraid, then a university student, as its first President. Initially, this exciting new conference was not accepted by the then Sydney Regional Council and therefore was promoted by and attached to the State Council before eventually being finally accepted as a Conference within the Sydney Region in the early 80s. In fact Robert was to go on to become the Regional President and later State President, as was his father before him. He was also ACOSS President and is currently Commissioner for Community Services in NSW. Many saw a great need in the inner city areas including Redfem, Waterloo, Surry Hills, Chippendale, Kings Cross and Darlinghurst, including the infamous ‘Block’ in Chippendale, and Alexandria where the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry has its Headquarters. Many of these inner city Conferences were struggling with few or ageing members, some were extinct and yet here in these areas, there was very high population of low income and disadvantaged people. Something had to be done! The Task Force of Redfern was set up, and throughout the years many Vincentians have responded to this call. From north, south, east and west, they have come to help to provide emergency assistance and support to families and individuals struggling in the inner city, and to help support the inner city’s Conferences. The new Conference operated five nights a week, often visiting as many as seven or eight families a night. It built, strong relationships with local Conferences and was able to refer families and individuals for further assistance other Vinnie’s works or agencies. This has always been a key aspect of the Task Force mission. A welfare support unit was established at 125 Pitt Street in the 1980s and people were referred from Task Force to other Agencies for general counselling, financial and budget counselling, domestic-violence support, to women’s support groups and to drug and alcohol rehabilitation services. In recent times, computers have taken over much of the office work but more volunteers are always needed to work or assist in the office. The work goes on every night, rain, hail or shine. Sometimes people living in high rise put a call in just to talk to someone, as we may be their only contact with the outside world. They may be disabled, aged, or even frightened to leave their unit. We can arrange a home visit from the welfare unit in these cases. We sometimes get back to the Task Force room wet, cold and tired, but we always say that no matter the conditions we go out in, we always appreciate that we are the ones knocking on the door and not the ones waiting for the knock on the other side of the door.
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Please remember new volunteers
are always needed. For
further information please contact Barry Finch on (02) 9452 2479. 
