The St Vincent de Paul Society is involved in advocacy because our Mission is not only to provide practical help and compassion to people in need, but to help shape a fairer, more just and compassionate Australia where everyone has the opportunity to reach their life potential.

Since its beginnings in Paris in 1833, advocacy has been an essential dimension of the Society’s Mission, alongside offering practical help and compassion to people experiencing hardship. Blessed Frédéric Ozanam’s conviction that we must study and address the injustices that create poverty while “tiding the poor over the poverty crisis,” continues to guide this commitment to long-term social change.

In practice, this means the Society works with governments and like‑minded organisations to influence public policy so that the structures contributing to poverty, inequality and exclusion are transformed. Advocacy complements the Society’s wide range of support services by tackling the root causes of disadvantage; over time, this can reduce the ever-growing demand for our services, especially emergency relief, and empower people to participate more fully in community life.

The National Council Social Justice Advisory Committee (NCSJAC) plays a key role in shaping the Society’s advocacy positions. Comprised of experienced and youth Members from across Australia, the NCSJAC advises the National Council, shares knowledge on social justice issues, and provides a forum for Vincentians to coordinate advocacy that is grounded in the experiences of people who seek our help. Guided by its Terms of Reference, the NCSJAC helps ensure that the Society’s public voice is informed, consistent and faithful to our vision of a fairer, more just and compassionate Australia.