Norfolk Community Law Service works in partnership with the Law School at the University of East Anglia (UEA) to give students the opportunity to volunteer with us and learn practical skills in a legal advice setting.
The scheme is managed by our Volunteer Co-ordinator Niahl Hubbard. They can be contacted on 01603 496623 or niahl@ncls.co.uk.
Around March/April each year, a talk is held at UEA providing information about the scheme. After this talk interested students are invited to make an application, if successful they are invited to an interview to fully assess there suitability for the scheme. The process is competitive and applicants are not guaranteed a place.
If successful, students are assigned to a particular service for the academic year. They are involved in a range of work from greeting clients, taking attendance notes, administering services and client bookings, to attending Court and Tribunal and research.
A previous UEA volunteer said about her time with us:
‘Working at NCLS has been the best opportunity that I have had as a student; not only do you get a chance for legal work experience but you really gain insight and motivation for what you are working towards. You get the chance to be treated like a professional, to be give responsibility and ultimately to really make a difference to people’s lives.’