Billy appeals for Witness Service volunteers

Local man Billy Eagleson is a Volunteer Co-ordinator at the Service which assists children and young people under 18 who have to attend court as prosecution witnesses. It operates in every local crown, magistrates’ and youth court in NI and since the start of 2021 has offered support to over 300 young witnesses.

Billy said: “Going to court can be a very intimidating and frightening experience for anyone but even more so for young people as it’s such a strange and unfamiliar environment. The Young Witness Service was set up because we recognised this, and we wanted to be able to support children and young people who needed to attend court to give evidence. Since we started in 1999, we have recruited and trained a truly amazing group of volunteers who work alongside paid staff to support these children and young people. Our volunteers come from all walks of life and are at many different stages of their career.”

“The sort of support our volunteers can offer can be as straightforward as keeping a child company as there can be such a lot of waiting around during court cases. They can also chat to the children about the various court procedures and answer their questions. Sometimes, the young people we support are in court because something has been done to them by an adult who is a stranger or, often, by someone known to them. Often, the relationship with the volunteer can be the first step to them rebuilding their confidence and trust in adults - the importance of this cannot be overestimated.

“We are currently calling on more people to volunteer...it’s a really worthwhile and important role.”

To become a volunteer you need to have at least one year’s experience in a caring or supportive role, be available during normal court operating hours and be able to commit to the role for at least one year after training.

For more information visit the recruitment volunteer recruitment website at https://join-us.nspcc.org.uk/volunteers/vacancy/young-witness-supporter--northern-ireland/4730/description/