Listen Up - Social Welfare Portal

listenup!64 | Chapter 8Case StudyThe HYPE group at The Market Place in Leeds took an innovative and creative approach tointerviewing applicants, and developed a method called ‘speed interviewing’, which was takenfrom the concept of ‘speed dating’.Firstly, the group agreed on a list of interview questions designed to make candidates reflecton and learn from ‘what a young person needs from a counsellor’. Each young person was thenallocated one question to ask, and the interview room was set up with each young person sittingat a table with two chairs. The candidates were invited to circulate the room until they had visitedeach table and answered each young person’s question. The young people then set up feedbacksessions where they discussed their views on each of the candidates with one another, and thenreported back to staff.While the group recognised they did not have the final say in who was recruited, they knew thatstaff noted and took their opinions seriously. Young people reported that doing this was “wicked!”Candidates also found this approach extremely beneficial; one candidate told the young people that:“It was really helpful to talk to you about how you want counsellors to be... you have helped meto put things into a more realistic context.”Staff at The Market Place also felt that HYPE’s involvement in staff recruitment was an effectiveway of continuing to learn from the young people using the service, and of ensuring the service isresponding to what young people felt they needed:“It’s always interesting, I’m really grateful for HYPE’s time and feedback.”Project worker, The Market Place, Leedsorganisations provided young people who werevolunteering with sufficient training, and with clearguidelines on confidentially.Being involved in staff recruitment and induction“When recruiting staff, it is crucial to be selectiveand ensure they are equipped with the necessaryprofessional and interpersonal skills, experience andqualifications to successfully engage with youngpeople. Thus, young people must be involved in therecruitment panel as a standard measure.”Project worker, Experience in Mind,Mind in Brighton and Hove, and Hove YMCA,Brighton and HoveAt six out of the eight organisations, young peoplewere involved in the recruitment of staff, includingshortlisting candidates and sitting on the interviewpanel. These organisations also involved youngpeople in staff inductions. This provided youngpeople with the opportunity to engage in groupdiscussions or presentations highlighting keyaspects of organisational delivery that they felt newstaff should be made aware of. Members of staffsupported young people in their preparations forbeing on interview panels: