As the weather warms and Canberrans head out to enjoy summer in the city, it’s heartening to know CBR NightCrew is there to help keep them safe.

Funded by the ACT Government and run by St John Ambulance, CBR NightCrew is a well-recognised and loved part of Canberra CBD nightlife.

The service is staffed by trained volunteers who provide support to vulnerable people, such as those affected by excessive alcohol or drug consumption.

It operates from a ‘safe space tent’ on Thursday (daylight saving months only), Friday and Saturday nights, with volunteers caring for walk-ins and undertaking regular patrols around key areas.

NightCrew team leader Josh Yeend began volunteering with the service 2.5 years ago while studying Alcohol and Other Drugs and counselling at CIT.

“I thought this was a really good opportunity to upskill and get that really high-level on-the-ground experience,” he said.

“You meet so many different people out there, both on the volunteer end and also the people who are out there enjoying their time, having a great night, and when they’re not, you are there for them when they need it.

“It’s a really great experience to be there for them and to hear their stories about what brought them to that point. In some cases, maybe they’ve just had a messy night and it’s not their fault and something’s just gone wrong. In other cases, it’s maybe a repeated behaviour and being able to be that ongoing support for them, and then refer them to other services and encourage them to seek help outside what NightCrew does, yeah, it’s all really rewarding,” Josh said.

Those seeking support on a night out have long known they can turn to CBR NightCrew. And with a new contract in place, the service will continue to be operated by St John Ambulance until 2026.

“We are delighted to continue delivering the CBR NightCrew service and see this as the Government’s commitment to delivering the same quality service to keep our city safe,” CEO of St John Ambulance ACT Adrian Watts said.

“We co-designed the CBR NightCrew project as a violence prevention strategy in 2017 with the Australian Federal Police. We simply do not accept that violence and assault are unpreventable risks. Our mission is to ensure all Canberrans enjoy a safe night out and get home safely.”

The joint St John Ambulance ACT and ACT Government initiative works with a harm minimisation approach, including:

• contacting family or friends
• providing sober-up support – including all-important hydration
• de-escalating potential violent incidents
• providing first-aid.

CBR NightCrew is set up near Bus Platform 5 on Mort Street on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and staffed from 10pm.

^{Josh Yeend and Tess Hammerton at the CBR NightCrew tent on Mort Street, Canberra City}

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