Referral Order Panel Member - Voluntary roleCouncil

Referral Order Panel Member - Voluntary role

We are recruiting volunteers to work as Referral Order Panel Members with Barnsley’s Youth Justice Service. Referral Orders are a sentence passed by the Youth Court and directly involve the local community through the Referral Order Panel process.

These Panels are conducted in accordance with restorative principles and practice and Referral Order Panel Members work with young people, acting as a representative of the community, to support them in repairing the harm caused and take positive steps forward. This involves listening to young people and their families and working with them to identify how to prevent further offending. Sometimes the role can involve working with victims of the offending behaviour and incorporating their views into the agreement as well.

This is an exciting opportunity to work with the Youth Justice Team supporting young people to make amends and positive choices for their future.

Panels normally take place in the evenings, typically between 5 and 7.30pm once or twice a fortnight but can sometimes be held during the school day as well. As a result of the changes to practice in response to the COVID pandemic, panels are currently being held virtually, using Microsoft TEAMs so applicants would ideally have access to appropriate IT. However, at some point, volunteer panel members may be asked to attend meetings in person. Training would also potentially be completed in person.

To be eligible applicants should live, study or work in the Barnsley area.

We provide full training as part of the post-recruitment induction process. This is likely to take place at weekends and/or evenings due to the acknowledgement panel members may potentially have other commitments during the day. The service will provide ongoing support and options for professional development.

For further information please contact Louise Maskill at [email protected] or 07775031554