Rethinking Narratives of Value from a Police-Based Uniformed Youth Organisation

Internationally, there is a significant scale to police based uniformed youth organisations, however, discourses of value have usually emphasised the benefits to young people which has neglected other dimensions of value. In a climate where many such programmes face threats in terms of sustainability and relative police buy-in, there is considerable risk that the strategic and policy decision makers concerning the future of programmes make decisions based on a narrow understanding of value. This article is based on Police Scotland’s Youth Volunteer (PSYV) programme which supports over 750 young people to learn about policing and facilitates volunteering in their local communities. It considers different dimensions of value from the perspectives of young people in terms of them being beneficiaries, producers and designers of value. Police-based uniformed youth organisations, using the PSYV example, are demonstrated to offer unique environments for young people to play different roles with the police. As beneficiaries, young people were found to gain important skills such as confidence and learnt more about policing. As producers, young people generated important value to the community supporting local and national policing priorities. As designers, young people supported the development of the programme by providing feedback on problems and proposed new initiatives. By better understanding, developing, and appreciating the different roles young people played within the PSYV, each of which form distinct yet connected dimensions of value, as evidenced in this study, there is potential to reshape discourses of value concerning such programmes from benefits to young people.