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    Is volunteering for everyone? Volunteering opportunities for young ex-offenders

    Kirby, Amy (2016) Is volunteering for everyone? Volunteering opportunities for young ex-offenders. Safer Communities 15 (2), pp. 82-93. ISSN 1757-8043.

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    Abstract

    PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to explore volunteering opportunities for young adults with criminal records (‘young ex-offenders’). DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The study was conducted primarily in one London borough. It involved mapping volunteering opportunities for young ex-offenders and conducting in-depth interviews with young ex-offenders and practitioners from volunteer-involving organisations and resettlement organisations. FINDINGS: Several perceived benefits of volunteering for young ex-offenders were identified; particularly in relation to ‘softer’ outcomes such as building confidence, learning new skills and developing a routine. Perceived challenges focused on whether or not organisations were able to provide volunteers with adequate levels of support; concerns about levels of engagement among volunteers and confusion over safeguarding procedures, particularly in relation to the obtaining of Disclosure and Barring Checks. ORGINALITY/VALUE: This paper offers practical insight into the scope of volunteering for young ex-offenders which may be of use to volunteer-involving organisations and resettlement organisations interested in providing such opportunities to young ex-offenders.

    Metadata

    Item Type: Article
    Keyword(s) / Subject(s): Young adults, Volunteering, Safeguarding, Inclusivity, Resettlement, Disclosure and Barring Service, Ex-offenders
    School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of Social Sciences
    Research Centres and Institutes: Crime & Justice Policy Research, Institute for
    Depositing User: Amy Kirby
    Date Deposited: 07 Mar 2016 13:55
    Last Modified: 02 Aug 2023 17:20
    URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/13780

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