What is Leeds Youth Offending Service?
Each local authority in England and Wales has a Youth Offending Service (YOS). Leeds YOS is a multi–agency partnership consisting of social services, education, police, probation and health. We work with children and young people aged 10–17 and their families to prevent and challenge offending, encourage responsibility, develop victim empathy and reduce fear of crime in communities. Leeds YOS is one of the busiest in the country with a population of around 720,000, of which 75,000 are aged 10–17. Why did you decide to get involved with Leeds YOS? Ever since completing a diploma at Leeds Metropolitan University around health promotion I have known that I want to work with children and young people. I decided to gain some experience through voluntary work. I chose to work with the Leeds YOS as there are different areas of voluntary work which suit different people’s needs and lifestyles. In addition they offer a support network to volunteers which includes quarterly newsletters, a couple
