Community Payback

An Unpaid Work Requirement, commonly known as Community Payback, is one of the 12 requirements that can be included in a community order.  It involves offenders doing compulsory unpaid work for the benefit of the local community.

All offenders undertaking Community Payback are screened to assess the risk they may pose to the public, and are closely supervised at all times.  The requirement is imposed as a punishment but it may have rehabilitative elements to it.

Because Community Payback involves lots of intensive supervision, it provides a unique opportunity to teach offenders new cognitive and practical skills.  Community Payback supervisors are trained to act as positive role-models and to encourage the development of pro-social attitudes and behaviour towards work, other individuals and the wider community.  It also gives offenders the chance to learn new skills in real situations - this style of practical learning suits offenders much better than more traditional teaching methods, and cultivates problem solving, interpersonal and employment-related skills. 

As with all community sentences, Community Payback is closely monitored, and offenders who do not obey the rules will be breached and returned to court.

Community Payback - how to get involved

In North Yorkshire, over 120,000 hours of Community Payback are completed every year by offenders on a community sentence.  This equates to approximately £700,000 of free labour provided to local communities as offenders pay back for the crimes they have committed.

Community Payback projects range from litter removal to clearing dense under growth, and environmental projects through repairing and redecorating community centres or removing graffiti.  Offenders usually work as part of a team, monitored by a supervisor, and will work all day with short breaks, although there are some opportunities for individual placements.

We can't do this without your help! We need to know about projects you think we could be working on.

To be considered your project must meet the following criteria:

It must benefit the local community

• It must not take paid work away from others
• No one must make a profit from the work
• It must be challenging and demanding
• It must be worthwhile and constructive
• Offenders must be seen to be putting something back into the community.

The Community Payback team will assess the project for suitability and for health and safety implications.

Once the work has been completed a plaque will be displayed with the Community Payback logo, if appropriate.  This will indicate where offenders have positively contributed to improving a neighbourhood.

North Yorkshire Probation actively encourages the public, faith groups, local businesses, voluntary groups, Crime Reduction Partners, and local authorities to contact us and nominate projects which will make a real difference to our communities.  Visit our website at: www.nyprobation.org.uk to suggest new projects in any part of North Yorkshire or alternatively call our Community Payback teams directly:

York Community Payback Team - 01904 526000
Scarborough Community Payback Team - 01723 366341
Harrogate Community Payback Team - 01423 566764