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CHAPTER FOUR A PROFILE OF THE COMMUNITY WARDENS

Introduction

4.1 This Chapter again draws upon the initial analysis of the schemes' funding applications, the survey of wardens and the analysis of the information provided in the templates to look at the characteristics of the wardens.

Recruitment Specification for the Wardens

4.2 Table 4.1 looks at the people specifications for the wardens as outlined in the recruitment specification for 12 of the 32 schemes ¹³. Although this is not based on responses from all schemes it does give some information on the wardens' person profile. What emerges strongly is the importance of interpersonal skills. For example, good communications skills are mentioned by 10 of the 12 schemes for which information is available. Working with the public is another requirement mentioned by many of the submissions. Partnership working is clearly also important given the cross-cutting nature of the community wardens' work in terms of the different council services and other agencies with an interest in antisocial behaviour. Other than having a driving license, technical skills rarely figured in the people specifications.

TABLE 4.1 Wardens ' Person Specification

Demographic Characteristics of the Wardens

4.3 To explore the characteristics of the wardens in the case study areas, and to gain their views on their work, a survey was undertaken in late 2006. Details of the methodology are given in Chapter 2 (Paragraphs 2.48 to 2.49). In summary questionnaires were sent to the 195 wardens in the 9 case study schemes and responses were received from 103, a 53% response rate.

4.4 The vast majority of the wardens who responded were over 30 (80%). Of these, 35% were aged between 41 and 50, whilst 29% were 31 to 40. Only 14% of respondents were under 25 (Table 4.2).

TABLE 4.2 Wardens' Ages

4.5 The wardens were overwhelmingly male (86%). This confirms the information provided by the scheme managers in the 24 month template analysis. This found that 78% of wardens were male. However, the template analysis also found that there were variations from this "norm" within individual schemes. For example, East Lothian, Orkney and Stirling employed more females than males, whilst in Aberdeenshire, Ayrshire, Falkirk and Orkney the gender split was 50:50. Perth and Kinross on the other hand employed only males.

4.6 In addition, the managers were asked about the ethnic status of the wardens. Again, a very clear picture emerges in which:-

• 91% were Scottish;
• 7% were other British; and
• 2% were categorised as being Irish, other White, Asian or Other.

This is confirmed by the wardens' survey in which 99% classed themselves as White. Only 3 described themselves as non-white. Of these, 2 were Asian and 1 was from another (unspecified) ethnic group. This lack of ethnic diversity may make it harder for Wardens to build relationships with Black and Minority Ethnic Communities ( BME) within the areas where they operate. This could be an issue in some of the cities where, not only are there significant BME communities in some localities, but there are also large numbers of refugees and asylum seekers. However, this was not an issue that emerged in any of the consultations.

Employment History

4.7 Eighty-seven per cent of the wardens had been working in their current job for more than one year and 56% had been wardens for over 2 years. Of the 9 respondents who had been wardens for 6 months or less, 33% came from Dundee, 33% from Inverclyde, 22% from South Lanarkshire and 11% from Orkney. However, the analysis of the monitoring templates, containing data from most schemes, shows that high staff turnover seems to be a general issue (Paragraph 15.3).

4.8 Most respondents had heard about the wardens' service through an advertisement in a newspaper (63%). Fifteen per cent heard about it through word of mouth, whilst a further 14% heard about it from other sources, of which the most commonly cited was Job CentrePlus.

4.9 The majority of respondents (78%) were already in a job before they started work as a warden. However, a significant minority (19%) had been unemployed. Only 4% were in education or training before becoming a warden (Table 4.3).

4.10 Fourteen percent of respondents (14) had become a warden through New Deal or a similar work placement scheme. Of these, 57% were in the Edinburgh scheme. This reflects the difficulties that the Edinburgh scheme had in recruiting wardens, largely as the labour market has been particularly buoyant in recent years.

TABLE 4.3 Status Prior to Becoming a Community Warden

Equal Opportunities

4.11 In terms of equal opportunities, Dundee's funding submission stated that the wardens' training would include inputs on diversity including equalities issues. Clackmannanshire's mentioned that recruitment processes and procedures complied with equal opportunities legislation and that training would be in accordance with the Council's equal opportunities policies. In the Stirling submission, it was said that an inclusive approach to recruitment of wardens would be followed, for example through the EQUAL programme or the Employment Connections partnership, both initiatives intended to get the unemployed into work. Perth and Kinross Council made the general observation that equalities were integral to all of the Council's activities. East Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire and South Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway and Aberdeen City all made some reference to either equal opportunities policies and/or equalities issues being built into wardens' training. Despite these examples, 22 submissions did not make any reference to equalities or equal opportunities.

Employment Aspirations

4.12 Most of the respondents to the wardens' survey (58%) saw their future career as being part of the warden service at either their current level or in a more senior position (Table 4.4). Indeed, around a third of all respondents (29%) wanted to advance to a senior position. A further 23% wanted to join another council department. Only 10% wanted to join either the police or fire service, although they were mainly younger than the average age of total respondents: 90% of this group being under 30. Although the absolute number of respondents was relatively small, it would suggest that younger people see the warden service as a "stepping-stone" to either the fire service or the police, whereas those of middle age are more likely to remain in the warden service and try and progress to a more senior level. That a large minority of respondents (42%) see their future as being elsewhere may be one of the reasons for some wardens schemes having what seemed to be high staff turnover rates (the analysis of the 24 month templates found an annual staff turnover rate of 27%, see Paragraph 15.3).

TABLE 4.4 Career Aspirations

4.13 Having looked at the characteristics of the wardens, Chapter Five now turns to consider their role.

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