Nacro annual review

Strengthening communities volunteers‘Why volunteer? I felt I had insights into whatgoes on with young people, I wanted to progress inmy career, and I wanted to boost my self-esteem,’says Emma Morris. ‘I’d previously been a prisonofficer, and Nacro is very highly thought of withinthe Prison Service, so it was the best choice for me.’‘When I started, I thought Nacro might let me helpout in the office, maybe do the photocopying. I hadno idea that they’d encourage me to do the thingsI’ve done since then. I started volunteering for thealternative education programme in Chelmsford forteenagers excluded or nearly excluded from school.The project is very sports-oriented and I’m not verysporty myself. At the beginning, I did a lot ofrefereeing and pretending to kick a football.’ Shelaughs: ‘That was an ice-breaker to say the least.They all had a giggle at my expense.’‘Without Nacro, I wouldn’t have hadthe self-confidence to accomplishwhat I have. It opened a door for me.My work has been appreciated, andthe support has been fantastic.’When she wasn’t falling over on the football pitch,Emma decided to put her criminology diploma togood use. She approached the project with the idea ofrunning an eight-week programme for youngoffenders in the community. ‘Nacro was verysupportive,’ she says. She spent six monthsresearching the idea, dubbed Chance to Change, andthen launched the pilot last October with four youngpeople. The thinking behind it was both simple andprofound: ‘Much behaviour is learned,’ she points out,‘and just as young people have learned it, they canalso unlearn it. It was designed to make them realisethat they’ve got the power to change their ownbehaviour without me preaching at them. They canstill express themselves, but they don’t need to do itin ways that will bring them up against the justicesystem.’Emma’s innovative work with young offenders madeher joint winner (with Paul Booth, pictured right) ofNacro’s ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award and this hasopened up new vistas: ‘Because of the success ofChance to Change, there’s plans afoot to branch outwith it across Essex, and I have been asked to run it.’She is justifiably proud of her achievement, but shealso acknowledges the help she has received.‘Without Nacro, I wouldn’t have had the selfconfidenceto accomplish what I have. It opened adoor for me. My work has been appreciated, and thesupport has been fantastic.’Volunteers are a vital part of Nacro’s work. Nearly athousand of them bring their skills and experienceto the organisation, and Nacro in turn provides themwith training and a chance to get involved inpositive and effective community work. Peoplevolunteer for all sorts of reasons, both personal andprofessional. They often wish to give young people agood start in life and to put something back into the8