Volunteering can be a great way for young people to learn and develop new skills, gain experience for their future employment, ‘give back’ to an organisation that has previously offered them support and help their local community.

If you’re working with young volunteers then there are a few things you must consider. Organisations and groups must protect their young volunteers and do all they can to make sure that their volunteering experience is positive. This should be balanced with the needs of the groups and individuals you work with.

We all have a responsibility to help keep children safe. Organisations working with children and young people must have safeguarding policies and procedures in place and be able to respond to child protection concerns. But we understand that it’s not always easy to know exactly what you need to do. That’s why NSPCC have produced a range of resources for voluntary and community groups. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re reviewing existing processes, they are here to help.

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-protection/working-with-young-volunteers

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-protection/voluntary-community-groups