I have no brakes until the truck starts

My step father changed my brakes and after I had no parking brake. I also ended up needing my wheel cylinders replaced so I also got all new hardware (everything has been done at this point). They are 10 inch brakes, the same as what was on there before. Brakes have been adjusted - backing up and slamming the brakes on - and bled, etc. I looked at the diagrams, it seems everything has been put on correctly. How would I go about getting my parking brake to work (fixing it)? There is no tension in the parking brake pedal what so ever and before there was more than enough. It is a manual so it is essential I gave a parking brake, especially with the brakes being part of a vacuum system (If I go too long without starting it or the brakes are hit too many times, I have no brakes until the truck starts - normal for this model year).