Volunteers wanted: Can you help young people in York?

If you have some time to spare, City of York Council have three new volunteering opportunities connected to helping young people. Details of how to get involved at the end of the post.

Mentor for YOT and PSI Service

York’s Youth Offending Team and Personal Support and Inclusion Service are looking for volunteer mentors to support young people on a one to one basis.

As mentor you will explore and develop new leisure time activities and access local facilities with your mentee.

As the relationship between mentor and young person develops, the mentor will be expected to respond appropriately to the individual needs of the young person; these could involve support in managing their anger, advocacy on behalf of the young person, referral to another agency etc.

Each mentoring relationship is different and what particular path it follows is dependant on the needs of the young person. Mentors may also take part in occasional group activities and events that may take the form of trips away.

Benefits to the volunteer: access to initial and ongoing training. Chance to develop and use skills and experience. Opportunity to meet new people, learn new skills, improve confidence and self esteem. Enhanced job opportunities and time to have fun and enjoy yourself.

General volunteer for YOT

York’s Youth Offending Team is looking for volunteers to support their work in preventing offending and anti-social behaviour by young people.

As a volunteer you will be taking young people to appointments, eg housing, social services, benefits, connexions, job centre.

You will volunteer alongside paid staff and young people carrying out reparation work in the community. You will take part in one to one sessions with young people on restorative work or victim focused work.

This role also involves:

• mentoring young people who need additional support and guidance
• prison visiting and resettlement – visiting and writing to young people who are in custody and helping them re-integrate into the community on release
• bail ‘mentoring’ – assisting young people on bail supervision and support to stick to their conditions and attend the police station or court on time, find positive ways to use their time, accompany them to leisure activities
• prevention work with young people aged 8-13. Taking them to the library, out of school activities, educational or cultural visits.

Benefits to the volunteer: opportunity to have a positive impact on the young person life. A chance to use and develop your own skills and experience of working with young people. A chance to improve your confidence and self esteem.

Appropriate adult

As a volunteer you will support young person who has been arrested and require an adult to oversee his/her detention and interview in the police station.

Volunteers ensure that young people’s rights are adhered to and they receive the care they require whilst in police custody.

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 and accompanying Codes of Practice ensure that whenever a young person under the age of 17 is detained and questioned at a police station he or she must be accompanied by an independent adult known as the ‘appropriate adult’.

The appropriate adult is there to safeguard the young person’s rights and civil liberties, aid communication between the young person and the police and look after their physical and emotional wellbeing.

Benefits to the volunteer: opportunity to have a positive impact on the young person life. A chance to use and develop your own skills and experience of working with young people. Giving something back to the community and access to initial and ongoing training.