Home| Idx | Terms Ref | Exc Sum | Recommendations | Chp 1 | Chp 2 | Chp 3 | Chp 4 | Chp 5 | Apx | Disclaimer | Copyright VOLUNTEERING AND UNPAID WORK PLACEMENTS AMONG CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN NSW COMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE Cl CPT 3-THE ROLE OF THE CCYP & OCG IN VOLUNTEERING - THIS PAGE C3 Chapter Three - Promoting and Supporting Volunteering for Young People h Introduction i Measures to promote volunteering to young people 1 Increasing awareness of Volunteering Opportunities 2 Formal Recognition of Students' Volunteering 3 Academic Rewards 4 Committee Comment - Recommendation 2 5 Committee Comment - Recommendation 3 j Measures to support young people in volunteering 1 Committee Comment - Recommendation 4 2 Recommendation 5 k Measures to support organisations in developing volunteering opportunities for young people 1 Committee Comment - Recommendation 6 l The role of the commission for children and young people and the office of the Children’s Guardian in supporting and promoting best practice in volunteering for young people - THIS PAGE 1 Committee Comment THE ROLE OF THE COMMISSION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE OFFICE OF THE CHILDREN’S GUARDIAN IN SUPPORTING AND PROMOTING BEST PRACTICE IN VOLUNTEERING FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 3.35 The Commission promotes and monitors the overall safety, welfare and wellbeing of children and young people in NSW. The Commission was established in 1999 as an independent statutory authority within Government under the Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998. 43 3.36 The Commission submitted that its role in in supporting and promoting safe volunteering opportunities is provided for in its core functions namely: 1 promoting the overall safety, welfare and wellbeing of children and young people in the community, 2 promoting the participation of children in the making of decisions that affect their lives and 3 encouraging Government and non-government agencies to seek the participation of children appropriate to their age and maturity 44 3.37 The NSW RFS and the NSW SES submitted that the Commission has assisted them in developing youth programs and also provided advice on proposed activities for young people 45 The NSW SES stated that the Commission could assist agencies to identify and overcome barriers that exist in relation to engaging young people in volunteering 46 3.38 The Children’s Guardian was established under the NSW Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 as a statutory office that reports directly to the Minister for Family and Community Services and to Parliament. On 17 May 2013, the Office of the Children’s Guardian (OCG) was established as a separate Division of the Government Service to support the Children’s Guardian in the exercise of her functions 47 3.39 The OCG submitted that it supports safe volunteering opportunities and unpaid work placements for young people by assisting organisations who are seeking to involve young people in their work to ensure that their organisations are ‘child safe’. The relevant functions of the Children’s Guardian related to volunteering and unpaid work placements are the Working With Children Check, the Child Safe Organisations program and children’s employment 48 3.40 The OCG submitted that its Child Safe Organisations team has worked with a number of volunteer organisations, such as the NSW SES and the NSW RFS, to support and promote safe volunteering opportunities for young people within those organisations 49 3.41 The Centre submitted that it often refers enquiries relating to youth volunteering and risk management to the Commission and the OCG, as they are well placed to support and promote safe volunteering opportunities for young people. The Centre stated that the Commission and the OCG encourage organisations to reflect on their practices and provide guidance in terms of child safety and wellbeing. The Centre has had discussions with the Commission and the OCG regarding how its own activities could be adapted to specifically target youth volunteering 50 Committee comment 3.42 The Committee notes the good work of the Commission and the OCG in supporting and promoting best practice in volunteering for young people. In particular, the Committee acknowledges the Commission’s work assisting organisations to develop youth volunteering programs and the OCG’s Child Safe Organisations training to promote and support safe and beneficial volunteering opportunities for young people. 43 Submission 22, Commission for Children and Young People, p. 3. 44 Submission 22, Commission for Children and Young People, p. 19. 45 Mr T Burns, State Coordinator, Youth Engagement, NSW State Emergency Service, Transcript of evidence, 11 August 2014, p. 23; Submission 9, NSW Rural Fire Service, p. 10. 46 NSW State Emergency Service, Response to questions on notice and additional questions, 9 October 2014, question 1, p. 4. 47 Submission 23, Office of the Children’s Guardian, p. 1. 48 Submission 23, Office of the Children’s Guardian, pp. 2-3. 49 Submission 23, Office of the Children’s Guardian, p. 5. 50 Centre for Volunteering, Response to questions on notice and additional questions, 17 July 2014, pp. 2-3. 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