Community Service Project Work

Mid Beds District Council, in partnership with Bedfordshire Probation Service is seeking requests from Town and Parish Councils, Community Safety Groups, Community Liaison Forums, Youth Groups and other charitable or voluntary, non profit-making organisations for projects to be considered for Community Service Project Work within Mid Beds.

Bedfordshire Probation Service is responsible for organising placements and establishing supervisory arrangements. Unpaid Work Orders are supervised by Community Service Officers from the Probation Service.

The main purpose of Unpaid Work Orders as alternatives to custody, are to prevent further offending by re-integrating the offender into the community through punishment and reparation by the provision of unpaid work which is of value to the community.

The Probation Service arranges a wide range of Unpaid Work placements for offenders. These are demanding of the offender and are designed to demonstrate to the community that the work undertaken is of benefit in one or more of the following ways:

  • providing work to safeguard the community against further crime, or to repair damage caused by crime
  • carrying out physical work to improve the local environment, or assist the local community
  • providing work which combats the fear of crime, or improves the appearance of amenities of a neighbourhood      

How can you become involved?

If you would like to refer a local project to us for consideration, please complete the attached form. The projects will be considered by Bedfordshire Probation Service and Mid Beds District Council. Priority will be given to projects that are aimed at safeguarding the community against crime, improving the local environment, or which combat the fear of crime, or improve the appearance of the amenities of a neighbourhood.

No work placements are accepted which would jeopardise opportunities for paid employment for members of the public. 

Group and individual placements can be considered. Group placements are undertaken in small supervised work groups (usually 4-8 offenders) under the direct supervision of a Probation Service Community Service Officer. Group placements usually operate on the basis of a seven hour day, during the week and at weekends. 

Individual placements are undertaken by those offenders who are assessed suitable to perform unpaid work without the direct supervision of Probation Service staff. In these cases the offender is placed under the supervision of a nominated person for whom they are doing the work.

There are a range of projects which can be considered for potential placements including conservation/ environmental improvement work, ground maintenance, construction work, painting and decorating. 

Examples of recent placements include work carried out at Marston Vale Forest, RSPB, Biggleswade Rugby Club, Aldwyck Housing Association Residential Care Home in Sandy, Salvation Army Charity Shop, The MS Therapy Centre, St Johns Care Home for Terminally Ill and the Hula Animal Sanctuary.

The Probation Service’s Project Development Officer will undertake an assessment of the offender’s suitability for consideration on a particular work placement. This will take account of the offender’s previous convictions and personal circumstances. Offenders can bring special skills and talents and every effort is made to use these to benefit both the local community and the offender.

All placements have to pass a health and safety assessment which will be undertaken by the Probation Service. On acceptance of the placement a simple agreement detailing the work is drawn up. The detail of this agreement will vary depending on the placement but it may require the beneficiary of the project to provide any necessary materials and equipment and will stipulate requirements for resting and toilet facilities.

I must stress that we cannot guarantee that projects will be accepted for consideration until applications have been reviewed, prioritised and any necessary agreements reached. 

If you would like any further information please do not hesitate to contact me directly:

David Rollings
Community Safety Officer
Mid Beds District Council
Priory House
Monks Walk
Chicksands
Beds   SG17 5TQ

Tel: 01462 611225      email: david.rollings@midbeds.gov.uk