Volunteers can significantly increase the size and available skills of both youth offending teams (YOTs) and secure establishments for children and young people. There are approximately 10,000 volunteers already working within the youth justice system; and the YJB recognises and wants to expand the important contribution made by these volunteers, and by the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS).The increased contribution of volunteers and the VCS to public services is also a Governmentand Welsh Assembly Government priority, as demonstrated by:
- the Compact [opens in new window] (the agreement between the Government and the VCS to improve their relationship) in England
- the Voluntary Sector Scheme [opens in new window] in Wales.
Volunteers and the VCS also have to vital role to play in delivering the Green Paper, Every Child Matters, and the Welsh Assembly Government’s strategy, Extending Entitlement and Making Connections.
Guidance
Click to read our guidance that sets out how volunteers should be managed and used in both YOTs and the secure estate. It covers issues such as recruitment and selection, supervision, confidentiality and volunteer recognition. Tools, templates and case studies are also available from this page.
Training
Click to read about our
general volunteer training programme and the specific training available for youth offender panel members, which were launched in March 2007.
Information briefings
The YJB funded nine regional information briefings in March 2007, which gave staff the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the new training material and to discuss the new guidance document. It also allowed volunteer co-ordinators, referral order co-ordinators, and panel member/volunteer trainers to share experiences and learn from one another.
Advice and support
For further detailed information about the training, and the organisation of the briefings, please contact you local HR and learning adviser in the first instance.
'Get Involved' web area
Following the recent information briefings and publication of the new training material and guidance, we have launched a new, expanded version of our Get Involved web area. It is designed to encourage and inform people who are thinking of volunteering or working within the youth justice system and may lead to an increased level of interest from the public
For those thinking of volunteering, there is lots of information on the skills required, the training they would receive and the various opportunities available. It also contains information on developing a career in youth justice and the training available for those that do.
Funding and grants
The YJB’s grant terms and conditions encourage the use of the voluntary community sector.
However, compliance visits by the Home Office’s Audit and Assurance Unit during the 2005/06 financial period identified weaknesses in arrangements for dealing with these bodies, and for ensuring that grants provided are applied in full and for the purposes intended.
YOTs should therefore remember that when dealing with this sector, attention must be given to ensure:
- robust up-to-date service level agreements are in place for governing relationships with third party suppliers
- effective arrangements for monitoring of service provisions, impact of service and expenditure are in place
- grant certification returns for funding provided to any third party is based on actual expenditure incurred by the third party and not the amount paid to the YOT.
Directory of Emerging Practice
I
f you have examples of other training programmes on, for example mentoring, being an appropriate adult or reparation work, we would welcome their submission to the Directory of Emerging Practice.