Volunteers are the lifeblood of British justice, with a staggering 90% of all court cases being judged by unpaid staff. The country’s 28,500 magistrates, who give their time voluntarily, make decisions in the over-whelming majority of cases in the criminal justice system.
They are joined by an army of at least 60,000 more volunteers dedicated to serving justice and fighting crime. This includes 11,500 special constables plus people who staff police stations, mentor young offenders, support victims of crime, visit prisoners, run visitors’ centres and lawyers who offer free legal advice – not to mention members of the 165,000 Neighbourhood Watch schemes.
Inspirational stories revealed in April as part of Justice Month for the Year of the Volunteer, which is run by CSV and the Volunteering England Consortium, include:
Debbie from Manchester, whose son committed suicide in prison, now talks to inmates about the effect their incarceration has on their families: “I don’t feel that I’m doing good, I actually feel like I am getting something back. It’s helped me to come to terms with the things that have happened, and volunteering has really given a purpose back to my life.”
Jag, 31, a Feltham-based sales manager for a multi-national company, a British-born Sikh, and one of the country’s youngest magistrates: “When you’re managing sales people it’s about doing the right thing. They will come to you and tell you when they have done something, and it’s about making the correct decision – so I have found being a magistrate a very similar experience.”
Stephen, a prisoner in Cumbria who volunteers through CSV’s Millennium Volunteers programme: “I’ve built my confidence in many ways and I’ve gained more knowledge, but the best thing of all is the way I feel good making others feel good. I never had that outlook on life before.”
Special Constable Tanya, 22, an Iraqi Kurd living in north London: “It’s hard work being a Special and you can sometimes feel the pressure of the job. I wish I could encourage more people from my sort of background to get involved. One of the things that has surprised me since I started volunteering was how culturally diverse the force is. I don’t think many people realise this.”
Michelle from St Helens, who mentors a young offender who has no family support network: “Just having somebody there in his life is a huge support for him. We’re not dwelling on his past because it’s not fair to judge him on whatever he has done. I’m there to build a positive relationship with him which is primarily focused on his needs.”
Jaiber, a security guard from Colombia who volunteers on the front counter of Muswell Hill Police Station, which, like many stations across the country, is completely staffed by non-paid members of the public: “I think many people in the community believe that crime is only for the police or the government to deal with, but I think crime prevention is something everyone should be involved in. I personally want to do as much as I can.”
The aim of Justice Month is to increase the number of volunteers within the criminal justice system and working on community safety projects and to celebrate the vital role so many volunteers already play. Events and projects taking place as part of the month include:
Small Grants Scheme – voluntary organisations can apply for a £250 grant to help them organise an event highlighting the benefits of justice volunteering. Applications must be in by the end of the year, although the limited number of grants will be issued on a first come, first serve basis.
CSV conference celebrating Twenty Years’ of Prison Volunteering - Tuesday 26th April, at the House of Lords.
A celebration of volunteers working in prisons. CSV Executive Director Dame Elisabeth Hoodless, herself a magistrate, will host the conference and a range of diverse volunteers from victims to prisoners, mentors to magistrates, will share their experiences.
Nacro ‘Putting in your time’ conference – Wednesday 27th April, at Leicester City FC. A conference hosted by Nacro, the crime reduction charity, for volunteers working with young and adult offenders in the community.
Wormwood Scrubs Woods Clean-up - Saturday 30th April, Wormwood Scrubs Nature Reserve. Wormwood Scrubs is known more for its prison than its nature reserve – which is almost a no-go area due to crime. This project, organised by Groundwork West London, will see up to 100 volunteers reclaiming the Scrubs by rejuvenating the woodland, clearing dangerous areas of low-visibility, installing security cameras and improving lighting.
The Year of the Volunteer is backed by the Home Office. For more information see www.yearofthevolunteer.org.
For further information please contact Chris Pitt, Year of the Volunteer Press Officer on 0207 812 0036, cpitt@csv.org.uk; or Martin Walford on 0207 812 0033, mwalford@csv.org.uk
Notes for editors
1. Year of the Volunteer 2005 is owned by volunteers, led by a partnership between CSV (Community Service Volunteers) and the Volunteering England Consortium, and supported by the Home Office.
2. The Volunteering England Consortium consists of Volunteering England, TimeBank, do-it, The Media Trust, Bitc and Youth Action Network.
3. To find out more about events and activities during the Year of the Volunteer 2005, please visit the official website at www.yearofthevolunteer.org and watch The Community Channel 24 hours a day on Sky 585 and Telewest 233. It’s also on ntl 14 and from 6-9am on Freeview 46; and Ceefax page 650. Alternatively, contact the CSV Action Desk at your local BBC radio station.