SWINDON Youth Offending Team’s (YOT) use of volunteers has earned it a prestigious national award.

The team, which helps reduce offending and re-offending among under 18s, celebrated receiving an Investing in Volunteers award at the Civic Offices in Euclid Street on Wednesday.

About 50 volunteers are currently used by the YOT to assist young people in a number of different ways.

Kevin Leaning, head of service for the YOT, said: “It is similar to an Investors in People award. Our volunteers are properly recruited, they have CRB checks and they are treated like proper employees.

“They do all kinds of things such as acting as appropriate adults in police stations when children are arrested and the parents can’t be there for whatever reason.

“We also use them for community pay back schemes – they do a fantastic job.”

The YOT also used the event on Wednesday to celebrate its 10th birthday and received plaudits from Swindon Mayor David Wren; John Gilbert, Swindon Council’s director of children services and Councillor Colin Lovell, Swindon Council’s cabinet member for a safer and stronger borough.

An exhibition about the work of the YOT, which also included a tour of the youth justice system, was also showcased in the council chamber.

The team is the first in the borough to receive the Investing in Volunteers award, which recognises the hard work and commitment of both staff and volunteers in helping to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.

Since the YOT was first set up 10 years ago, 200 unpaid volunteers have been used in one-to-one mentoring of young people and helping them engage in activities to stop them reoffending.