The recruitment pack is a step-by-step guide to that very thing. It gives professionals suggestions on how young people can be part of the interview, job description creation and selection process. Although the resource has been created with a Scottish focus, it is equally able to deal with cross-UK approaches and legislation.
The resource is divided into three major sections, each of which deals with a different stage in the recruitment process. The first section guides organisations that are working with young people through the process of getting young people involved. The guide looks at the skills and requirements for young people and adults that are needed to conduct a recruitment process. At every stage it suggests advice and activities that can be used to help the process along more easily.
The examples in the middle sections are a great help in seeing what happens when this process is put into practice. They are not only helpful for the novice but they provide reassuring reading for the regular interviewer who is involving children and young people. The guide gives some useful role models and also some candid advice about what to do and what not to do.
This resource isn't groundbreaking. Many of these activities will have been done before and while the case studies are useful, the ideas in them will be familiar to many people.
It doesn't attempt to reinvent the wheel but rather it usefully brings together many ideas and practices that are required more and more often by local and national government and children and young people's organisations.
All told, the Scottish Alliance For Children's Rights and Save the Children have produced a sterling resource.
Despite the fact that Save the Children has some policies that I find questionable, such as condoning child labour in particular situations, in this case the resource is totally on the ball with what progressive organisations have been doing in this area and gives good guidance for all organisations in a world where involving young people in the recruitment process is now the norm.
The recruitment pack: involving children and young people in the selection of staff
Published by Save the Children and Scottish Alliance For Children's Rights
Price 25
- Reviewed by Lloyd Russell-Moyle, 19, young trainer, The National Youth Agency's active involvement team, and trustee of the Woodcraft Folk.
