City and Islington College Law Support Group Mentor

About the project

For the past ten years, a UCL Law student has volunteered as a Law Support Group Mentor at City and Islington College. This involves running workshops for the group on different areas of law. The participants in the group are in year 12 studying their A Levels and many are interested in studying law at university. The purpose of these sessions is to give students insight into different legal areas as well as a realistic idea of what to expect when studying law. It is also hoped that the sessions will encourage CIC students to consider applying to university after their current educational activities. Over the years, a number of participants have gone on to study law and pursue a legal career.

Student role

In the past, mentors have concentrated on interesting topics/cases that are easy to engage with (the students will often have little/no legal knowledge), which had an ethical issue involved. For example, previous topics for workshops include contentious cases concerning ‘conjoined twins’ and ‘murder or cannibalism' or even bio-ethics. Please do choose an area of law that you have a particular interest in!

The teaching approaches and styles used in the workshops can vary. Previous mentors have used handouts to assist with explanation and understanding. Workshops could start with a presentation, which could then be opened up into a seminar-style discussion facilitated by the mentor. Mentors have also held mini-debates and led group discussions on legally related issues in the news.

The scheme allows for flexibility in the content presented and the mentors very much have the opportunity to bring in topics they themselves find interesting.

This role is a great way for a UCL student to take an active role in the community and to assist UCL’s ongoing efforts to widen participation in higher education to those of non-traditional educational backgrounds. The mentor will also be able to develop transferable skills such as leadership and communication skills.

This opportunity will take place in-person. 

What we're looking for

This opportunity is open to all LLB and LLM students. We are looking for a volunteer who can demonstrate:

• Good organisational skills
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
• The ability to explain complex concepts in a simple way
• The ability to empathise and work with people in a supportive way
• An appreciation of the importance of widening participation
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage multiple responsibilities, i.e. plan and host the workshops on top of university studies

To apply, you must be able to commit to delivering workshops at the school on the following Tuesdays from 3-4:30PM:

• 14/01/25
• 21/01/25
• 04/02/25
• 11/02/25

Training

All students will receive the CAJ Mandatory Volunteer training, which covers data protection and confidentiality, working with vulnerable clients, professional conduct and regulation, self-care, and our expectations of CAJ volunteers.

Pro Bono Skills Development Framework  

The Centre for Access to Justice now offers all students engaged in voluntary pro bono the opportunity to participate in the Pro Bono Skills Development Framework. This framework allows you to reflect on the skills gained during your placement, aligned with the Aurora Competence Framework. Completing it earns you a Certificate of Commitment to Pro Bono, acknowledging your dedication and skill development. Your participation will help you document and showcase the valuable competencies you've developed, however, please note that participation in the PBSDF scheme is entirely voluntary and will not affect your placement in any way.

How to apply

Applications for this opportunity will open on 23 September 2024.

The deadline for submitting an application is 28 October 2024 at 11:59PM. Interviews will begin on the week commencing 18th November 2024. Please apply via the online application form. 

When applying, please make sure you have completed the CAJ Equality and Diversity Monitoring Questionnaire. You only need to complete this once per academic year. 

Should you have any questions, please contact Annika Melwani at annika.melwani@ucl.ac.uk.