Young witnesses need your support - NSPCC
The NSPCC’s Young Witness Service, which supports young people as they give evidence in criminal proceedings, is invaluable to those who may already have experienced great personal trauma and who are facing re-living this trauma in court.
Working with young victims and witnesses of crime, the Young Witness Service offers support and guidance through the challenging court process. Managing the experience for vulnerable children is important both to the individual’s welfare, and in ensuring they are equipped to give their best evidence and the most complete and truthful testimony possible. The service is currently looking for more volunteers to ensure this vital work is able to continue.
A former service user told how, without the Young Witness Service, she felt could not have gone through with giving evidence:
“I hadn’t eaten or slept in days with anxiety about what was ahead of me, so I wasn’t in good shape physically or mentally…Giving my evidence was terrifying, especially because it was so intimate in detail.”
NSPCC Young Witness Service manager, Janique Burden, encourages members of the local community to consider volunteering as a way to gain new skills and engage with young people in need:
"Working with young victims and witnesses of crime, our volunteers offer support and guidance through the complex court experience. This means visiting the young person who has to give evidence before the trial, to prepare them for going to court. It also means offering support on the day, and following up afterwards.
“Volunteers attend an eight-day training course, after which they are required to be available at least two days per week to support children and young people. Not only is this a valuable service to children, but it contributes to the effectiveness of our judicial system, and enhances a variety of personal skills on the part of the volunteer.”
Emphasising the importance of the service, one volunteer said: "I would encourage anyone with time to spare to get involved, and to broaden your own experiences of life. Young people desperately need our support. The world of the courts is a frightening one, and with so many neglected and lost children out there, being able to offer a little support on such a traumatic day is well worth doing."
The NSPCC’s Young Witness Service is a free, independent and confidential service, provided by a team of social work staff and trained volunteers. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Ann Callaghan on 028 90240847 or email [email protected]. The closing date for applications is Monday, 30 January 2012.
