Volunteering with NILS
The St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria offers no-interest loans – our Vinnies NILS – to purchase essential goods and services with fair, accessible credit for people on low incomes.
We're always needing volunteers! Register below:
Help Victorians with cost-of-living
Our No Interest Loan Scheme is supported by our dedicated volunteers, but with the cost-of-living effecting so many Victorians we are needing more support now than ever. We've expanded our service from Geelong to include Box Hill and Kensington to help with the rising demand.
In the last financial year, our Vinnies NILS assisted 367 households across Victoria with no interest loans.
As a Vinnies NILS volunteer you will:
- Receive hands on training by Good Shepherd Microfinance
- Respond to enquiries by phone or email
- Send out loan application packs to prospective borrowers via mail or email
- Collecting and checking loan application documents
- Entering information into the specialised NILS software
All applicants must be 18 years and older, and be able to commit just a couple of hours a week for 6 months. Vinnies NILS can support student placements from TAFE and universities.
Click below to apply at one of our three locations:
What is Vinnies NILS?
Vinnies NILS (No Interest Loans Scheme) provides individuals and families on low incomes with access to safe, fair and affordable credit.
The loans have no interest and no fees. No charges are passed on to the clients.
Loans of up to $2,000 can be provided (up to $3,000 for some purposes) for essential goods and services including whitegoods, educational expenses such as laptops and iPads, medical costs and equipment, as well as vehicle and household repairs. Loans are paid back over a period of up to 24 months, usually via a direct deduction to benefit payments.
A Vinnies NILS agreement often means a household can replace old appliances with more energy-efficient models resulting in reduced electricity bills, too. Or the purchase of a washing machine saves the ongoing expense of using a laundromat.
Our Vinnies NILS loans give people self-agency and choice
If you find yourself in a financial situation, it is worth considering a Vinnies NILS load first before seeking other more expensive credit options.
For more information people can apply at vinniesnils.org.au, call us on 03 5229 8829.
Meet Sharon
Sharon, a young mum who was pregnant with her third child, was pleased to hear about the NILS program when her washing machine broke down. She had been hand-washing the family’s clothes and trying to dry them in the dreary winter weather in rural Victoria. A Vinnies volunteer told her of the scheme and she made contact. Within a week, Sharon had a new washer/dryer delivered and installed.
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