Norfolk – The Young Scutineers

Building on the work of the South Norfolk and Norfolk’s beacon year, the County Council took the lead in developing volunteering opportunities within scrutiny functions.

As part of Norfolk’s volunteering programme, the Scrutiny team trained young people to examine and report back on the services which most affect their lives, including school governance and children’s services.

Bringing the Hear by Right framework to life, and addressing Russell Commission Recommendations 4 and 9, the Council worked with Bassetlaw District Council to recruit and train a band of voluntary scrutineers.

What they learned

Understand the agendas and use them to your advantage

• Norfolk began their project by mapping who was doing what in terms of youth volunteering in the Council and where they were doing it.
• The LGA badge on Hear by Right facilitated progress within Norfolk County Council.

Use structure to involve young people in planning

• Planning tools used in working with young people were seen as essential

Use social trends to engage with young people

• Social networking sites were successful in developing and delivering projects.
• The use of the masks to hide identity, in some situations, offered the opportunity to use simulation/role play to gather evidence.

Link activities into the council’s ways of working

• Norfolk’s project ideas are now clearly firmly embedded as Members now invite young people on scrutiny panels and involve them in grant making and commissioning ideas.

Make volunteering part of ongoing practice

• Participation (involving young people in service planning and delivery) has been made a priority for Norfolk for the coming years.

Find out about the authority’s ongoing good practice at www.norfolk.gov.uk