Unpaid Work Stories

Unpaid work takes place all around Scotland. It allows people to settle their debt to society and build better lives for themselves, their families and communities. A sheriff can order individuals to do from 80 to 300 hours of unpaid work.

 A sheriff can sentence people to do unpaid work in their community. This allows them to settle their debt to society and build better lives for themselves, their families and their communities.

“We’re at Duddingston Kirk, to develop a staircase pathway that is part of a memorial garden. I’m an unpaid work supervisor, I work for Edinburgh Council.”

 “I’ve been on, doing the gravestones for seven weeks now. One of the gravestones came down, fell, and we’re basically making a new concrete foundation for a stone to actually fit into the actual hole. By the time next week comes, that will be solid, hard, and that’s when you can put the stone back up.”

“I’ve been in prison before, but the first time I’ve ever done community service. I was actually quite impressed with the work we were doing, ‘cause I thought we were just going to going about, picking up litter, but we’re actually doing something that means a difference.”

 “You’re putting something back into the community, and you’re learning something at the same time. It’s basically....its....I don’t know how to put it, mate, but, aye, I take pride in my work, aye.”

“The work that’s getting done, it’s constructive, it’s meaningful. They build on friendships, they build on their knowledge and skills. They don’t clown about, they actually take their job seriously.”

“Make sure we’re deep enough with these holes, aye.”

“Are you all right Connor?”

“A wee bit more, a wee bit more.”

“Right down, right down”

“I’ve got another order sitting there, 130 hours.”

“It’s better than being in jail.”

“Exactly. It is better than being in jail.”

“Lucky me, my time’s done. I’ve put up a few stones. I can drive past Liberton graveyard with my head up, thinking of all those people’s names in the mud. Not anymore.”