Would you like to be involved with youth justice work?
You could help prevent young people offending and also represent
your local community.
North Somerset Youth Offending Team (YOT) is looking for
volunteer panel members. Young people who plead guilty when they
first appear in the youth court are usually given a referral order.
The young person and their guardian are then required to attend a
panel consisting of two volunteer panel members and an advisor from
the YOT.
Volunteers are fully trained by the YOT and this enables them
run the meeting and to discuss the offence with the offender, their
parents and the victim(s) and agree what happened and how the young
person can make amends or repair the harm. At the heart of this
process is the requirement that the young person accepts
responsibility for their actions and agrees a plan or contract
specifying what they must do to complete their court order.
The victim can choose to attend the panel meeting and say how
they have been affected by what happened and receive an explanation
or apology from the young person responsible. Managing this process
requires inter-personal and group skills which is why the training
is necessary.
The young person will also be required to carry out unpaid work
(reparation) either directly for the victim or indirectly in the
community. Other elements in the contract, such as anger
management, drug or alcohol abuse, are tailored to meet the
individual needs of the young offender.
The panel meets to review the contract at three-month intervals
to ensure that progress is being made and the young person is on
track to complete their order. Most panels take place on
weekdays between 3pm and 7pm when victims, young people and their
parent/carer can attend. Panels take place across the district in a
number of community venues for which a mileage allowance is paid. A
full CRB check is also required.
Some comments from current volunteer panel members:
“I enjoy being a panel member mostly because I can contribute to
supporting young offenders to change their behaviour.”
“It makes such good sense for all concerned - victim, young
person, the community and society at large.”
“I enjoy the contact with young people and working with the
Youth Offending Team and other volunteers. It is especially
rewarding when a young person makes positive changes.”
“I enjoy being a volunteer meeting young people at the beginning
of their journey …and to see the change in them at the end.”
Please contact Cathy Clark or George Ware on 01275 888 360 or
email panel
.member.enquiries@n-somerset.gov.uk
for further information and an application form.
Find out more about the youth offending team by visiting
/Community/Youth+Offending
