Press Release

Paedophile Fear Stops Men Volunteering Say Children’s Charities

1 June 2007

More than one in 10 men (13%) who don’t volunteer with children and young people say it is due to fear of being perceived as a paedophile, according to a survey from children’s charities NCH and Chance UK launched today (Friday, 1 June) – the first day of Volunteers’ Week. The charities are urging men to come forward and mentor boys aged five to 11 who are in desperate need of a male role model.

NCH Chief Executive, Clare Tickell, says: “Many children, especially boys, are desperately in need of a male mentor, which is why we urgently need men to come forward despite any fears they may have about public perception.  We work hard to ensure volunteers are checked by the police, trained and monitored, which we hope encourages men to come forward and helps assuage the public’s concern.”

Jo Hobbs, Development Manager at Chance UK, says: “Male volunteers are more difficult to recruit, yet positive male role models can make a huge difference to the lives of challenging children and young people. We urge anyone out there interested to get in touch to find out more.”

NCH and Chance UK’s Volunteer Survey 2007 (1) also found that over two thirds of men don’t volunteer to help children and young people (69%), nearly three in five men said this was due to work commitments (59%) and over two thirds said they don’t have enough time (68%).

Nearly one in five men (17 per cent) said they wouldn’t volunteer because they would have to be CRB (2) checked. All volunteers that work with both Chance UK and NCH are subject to a CRB check for the protection of the children and young people they work with. However, the procedure is not intrusive and is simply filling in a form and waiting a couple of weeks for completion.

NCH and Chance UK have developed a partnership to offer mentoring programmes for challenging children aged five to 11 across the UK. The charities are appealing to men to come forward and consider becoming a mentor during Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June).  By spending just two hours a week over one year volunteers can change the life of a challenging child to find out more contact NCH’s Supporter Helpline (Monday to Friday) on 08457 626579 or Chance UK on 020 7281 5858.