StreetWatch Night Time Economy

Job Title: StreetWatch Night Time Economy - Volunteer

Type: Volunteer

Location: Birmingham City Centre

Who we are:

StreetWatch is a community led initiative, volunteers from local communities carry out street patrols, but have no police powers. StreetWatch groups provide a visible presence to deter crime and anti-social behaviour, NOT deal with it- that's our job. There will be 4 StreetWatch groups volunteering to cover one Saturday every 4 weeks. 

Why we need your help:

We have a new and exciting opportunity for you to join StreetWatch and support our night time economy 'Safer Walking' route initiative. StreetWatch members will be placed along a pre- determined route in Birmingham City Centre to provide patrons with safe movement through the location. The StreetWatch group will reduce crime and help to make our streets safer There will be 8 to 10 StreetWatch groups who will be allocated a set date to patrol, agreed upon by the volunteer. We do ask that volunteers patrol once every 4 weeks to ensure the safety of all those volunteering. 

Role Responsibilities:

We are looking for a team of volunteers who are passionate about supporting their local community and keeping the streets safe in the early hours. Volunteers will:

• Provide a visible presence throughout the safer walking route during the early hours of the morning;
• Attend team meetings to go through any relevant information for the night ahead;
• Support patrons with identified vulnerabilities, ranging with how to get from A to B, to signposting to existing night time economy provisions;
• Report any concerns you have throughout the night. 

What we can offer you:

While volunteering is unpaid, there are a number of benefits our volunteers gain from their time with us:

• Be a part of our Policing family
• Opportunities to develop and share your skills and expertise 
• Gaining valuable work experience and new skills
• Enjoyment in doing something you like while meeting new, like-minded people
• Contributing to the local community by helping in the work West of Midlands Police (WMP)

Essential Information: 

• Applicants are considered on their merits and regarded equally
• We will induct and train you to carry out the role
• This role description is intended as an indicator of general areas of activity and will be amended with any changing needs of West Midlands Police
• It is expected that the volunteer will be flexible, using this document as a framework

Essential Skills and Experience: 

• Passionate about making a difference in the local community;
• Supportive and non-judgemental;
• Friendly and approachable;
• Reliable with good time-keeping skills; 
• Happy to work alongside a team of volunteers.

Prospective officers and staff must be held to a higher standard of behaviour and accountability than members of the public, and that therefore their right to privacy can be fettered in certain circumstances. This is to ensure that members of the police are fully aware and accountable for the unique powers entrusted to them and the standards of professional behaviour they swear to uphold. 

Vetting: The role will not commence until the volunteer have been security cleared; a thorough vetting process is in place for all volunteer roles.

Hours: Friday from 22:00 to 02:00, every 4 weeks.

Interviews: Interview dates TBC. 

Contact: If you have any questions regarding this role, please contact Sam O'Dell at  

West Midlands Police is a Disability Confident Leader - the highest level an organisation can achieve under the scheme run by the Department of Work and Pensions.  As part of our commitment we operate a 'Disability Confident Interview Scheme' - all candidates who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview. 

It is important to note that there may be occasions where it is not practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people who meet the essential criteria for the job. For example: in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. In these circumstances, the employer could select the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job, as they would do for non-disabled applicants.

"Diversity and Inclusion Vision:  Maximise the potential of people from all backgrounds through a culture of fairness and inclusion to deliver the best service for our communities"