Applications for this position will open in October 2024.
About Solace Women's Aid
Solace Women’s Aid offers free advice and support to women and children in London to build safe and strong lives. Futures free from male abuse and violence.
The Role
Volunteers with Solace Women's Aid will support women who have suffered from domestic and sexual violence in attending court.
Volunteers may be involved in
- Accompanying and supporting women in court
- Ensuring correct procedures are followed
- Helping service users understand court processes
- Providing emotional support to clients/service users
Time commitment
Volunteers will have the opportunity to contribute flexibly, with varying time commitments depending on when clients/service users have court dates. The program will not follow a strict schedule, due to the nature of the work. Instead, successful candidates will be part of a pool of students who may be contacted when a court date arises. If a volunteer is available at that time, they may participate. This project will be highly flexible, making it suitable for students with varying schedules. The frequency of students’ involvement will depend on court dates and the volunteer's availability.
Training
Solace women's aid will deliver multiple training sessions on attending court with clients. These training sessions will cover court procedures, safeguarding, interacting with clients, GDPR, etc.
- 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.
Eligibility and How to Apply
Eligibility
- This placement is open to 3rd/4th year LLB students, and LLM students
- Volunteers should be prepared to travel to various boroughs, particularly in North London.
- This volunteer opportunity is open to women only (exempt under the Equality Act 2010, Schedule 9, Part 1)
- We welcome applications from women of all backgrounds and aim to have a recruitment process, and organisation, that is inclusive and accessible for all.
How to Apply
Applications for this opportunity will open in October 2024.
The deadline for submitting an application is 28 October 2024 at 11:59PM. Interviews will begin on the week commencing 11th 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.