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 then has to attend
a panel consisting of two volunteer panel members and an advisor
from the Youth Offending Team.
Volunteers are fully trained by the YOT and this enables them to
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 important.
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 periods to
ensure 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 parents
can attend. Panels take place across the county 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 of 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 Howard Wilson on 01275 888360, or email
nsyot@n-somerset.gov.uk,
for further information and an application form.
