Pro Bono opportunities
The Law School has an active Pro Bono programme and is keen to support and encourage students who participate in pro bono work. As well as being rewarding in its own right, Pro Bono experience is something future employers (legal or otherwise) increasingly look to for evidence of the practical skills graduates need to develop very early in their careers.
Law School Activities
The Law School organises three Pro Bono initiatives:
Citizens Advice Bureau Training
The Law School provides in house training for students who wish to qualify as generalist advisors. The training period lasts for over six months and includes weekly seminars and a four day certificate course. Qualified students then go on to work as advisors at the Reading or Wokingham or other local Citizens Advice Bureaux. Those who have volunteered for CAB have found it a very rewarding experience. If students are able to make the necessary commitment they gain invaluable experience of face to face work with clients and develop client related skills that give them an advantage when it comes to starting their careers.
Streetlaw
The Streetlaw project involves students going to local schools to bring aspects of law and the legal system into the community through group sessions, presentations and debating competitions. Previously Streetlaw volunteers have also run a series of sessions at the Reading Young Offenders Institute where they presented on topics such as freedom of speech, sentencing and stop and search powers.
Mediation Training with Resolve
First year students are given the opportunity to train as mediators with the organisation Resolve. The training involves students completing an accredited mediation course offered by professional trainers based at Resolve. Students are able to develop their advocacy and communication skills and gain a NOCN qualification in mediation and those who have taken part have found the experience immensely rewarding.
Other Pro Bono activities
Our students also volunteer with many different organisations, local and national. Each year the Law School holds a Pro Bono Fair which is attended by a number of organisations who offer voluntary experience for students and is a chance for students to find out more about the voluntary work available and to sign up for placements. Organisations Reading students have volunteered with include
- Free Representation Unit
- Amicus
- Age Concern
- Reading and Wokingham Young Offenders Team
- Berkshire Witness Service and Victim Support
- Thames Valley Police
- Death Penalty Project(which makes two voluntary work placements available to Reading students annually.)
Pro Bono Module
In recognition of the sizeable commitment many students make to Pro Bono work, final year students involved in Pro Bono work are able to count their experience towards a full 20 credit Pro Bono Module. Students taking the module volunteer with an approved organisation for a period of six to nine months and complete an online portfolio reflecting on various aspects of their experience and the organisation concerned.