Junior Warden Scheme
The Junior Warden Scheme promotes community development across the Borough, through engagement with local primary schools, young people, Berneslai Homes and a variety of service providers to the community. The aims are to raise awareness amongst young people of the state of their neighbourhoods. Activities that they are involved in highlight issues such as abandoned cars, dumped rubbish and graffiti and aim to help children understand why these become problems and what they can do about it.
The scheme was first piloted in the Hoyland Impact Team area and was a great success. We have now built on the success of the scheme and have established Junior Warden Schemes within each Impact Team area so the initiative is now being delivered borough wide. 
One of the main reasons why the schemes have been such a success in different areas across the borough is because the delivery and content of the project is so adaptable that no two schemes are the same. In each area the scheme can be adapted to the needs of the schools involved, e.g. length of scheme, number of young people involved, content of scheme etc. After meeting with the schools involved in each area we have been able to shape a bespoke scheme to meet the schools needs but continually meeting the same positive targets within the schools surrounding area and community.
The schemes have a multi agency approach and are delivered over a school term. Partners invloved include: Berneslai Homes, South Yorkshire Fire and Police Service and other community groups such as Community Partnerships, or Safer Neighbourhood Initiatives. Other schemes are delivered over a much shorter period of time but the input and outcomes achieved are still consistent.
In the sessions that Berneslai Homes deliver with the junior wardens we get local residents in sheltered accommodation to let young people into their homes to identify the differences between the houses that these elderly residents live in and their homes. Such as wet room style bathrooms, hand rails, emergency contact cord, raised sideboards, lowered cupboards etc. This helps young people to understand how elderly residents live. We also complete estate walkabouts which we do with our own tenants and residents. The young people are briefed on what they need to be looking for such as graffiti, abandoned vehicles on drives, untidy gardens, walkways, driveways, dog fouling etc. All findings from the session are fed back to the relevant Berneslai Homes Officers and acted upon so the young people are actually making a positive contribution to their community. We also complete regular litter picks within the scheme which benefits the whole community. In some schemes we look at local history and land marks and have quizzes about their local area so it raises the young peoples knowledge and awareness of the community that they live within.
The schemes meet the Governments Every Child Matters Strategy with targets to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution, achieve economic well being. It bridges the gap between the young and elderly members of the community and develops a sense of mutual respect. It is a great advert for multi-agency working and benefits the whole community as the organisations involved are consistently interacting with each other. The scheme also develops positive relationships between Berneslai Homes and the pupils which is good for future engagement and community aimed project development.
If you are interested in setting up a Junior Warden Scheme in your school or community please contact Resident Involvement Officer Leon Sidebottom on 01226 772733 or email: leonsidebotttom@berneslaihomes.co.uk