Human Rights Office, Projects and Progress

Bonnytoun

Bonnytoun is the first ever project which PAHRO got up and running back in 2008 when the office started. It is a place of safety for boys who have been charged with committing a crime, following which, an assessment by a probation officer has found they need a restrictive placement while they await trial and finalisation of their court case. The boys held here are aged 12 to 18 years.

Many of the boys we work with have been held at Bonnytoun for a long time and are kept waiting without hearing anything of their upcoming trials. They are uninformed about their cases and even of what to expect from the criminal justice system that they have found themselves in. So PAHRO aims to give these boys hope and other options for their future.

Volunteers visit Bonnytoun once a week to meet with the boys and discuss relevant matters to them, educating and empowering them about issues which affect their lives. Workshops are developed to inform them about making better life choices and include issues such as drug and alcohol abuse, gangsterism, violence and the court process.

Many successes have come from this project and when you find a way to get through to the boys you will feel a great sense of satisfaction. It is one of our more popular projects and volunteers are always keen to get involved and assist with the planning of workshops. This is a day long project as the location is quite far away and so volunteers will need to dedicate one day a week to the project.

Click here to read one volunteers perception of the work we do with Bonnytoun

Volunteer Testimonies

“I immensely enjoyed my time at Bonnytoun and found the experience challenging and rewarding. I found the way the men were honest, and responsive very impressive and will miss the discussions we were able to have with the men.”
Michael Pinder, UK, 1 month

“I found the project very enjoyable and fulfilling and really came away with a feeling of achievement from the work we had carried out. I would highly recommend the project to other volunteers and urge others to get involved. ”
Lucy Packer, UK, 1 month