Starting on 13 November, Varndean College will be opening its first ever student run ‘Legal Hub’ in collaboration with the University of Sussex. The service will be run entirely by a team of university student volunteers and is designed to provide Varndean College students with legal support on a wide array of topics. From employment to bursaries, and everything in between, the team of dedicated volunteers has trained and researched to help identify legal issues, advise on where they can best get support and signpost information about programs or organisations within the community that can help. Set up in conjunction with law school finalists in the University of Sussex Streetlaw clinic, the Legal Hub will help make the first steps the easiest.
Throughout October, the StreetLaw team have already worked with A Level Law students at Varndean College to help them with their new ‘Legal Hub’ project. Working with Jo Hambleton, Varndean College Assistant Principal, and Jeanette Ashton, StreetLaw lead at the University of Sussex, the team have delivered a series of interactive workshops, including how to interview a client, provide information, and signpost to useful resources. Varndean students practised these essential legal skills through interviewing the StreetLaw team, who developed a series of roleplays on issues which Varndean students might be experiencing.
Following the launch of the ‘Legal Hub’ in November, the StreetLaw team will be on hand to assist. Reflecting on the benefits of the work, Jeanette said “The project has provided the StreetLaw team with the opportunity to design, project manage and deliver a bespoke programme, which not only empowers the Varndean students to develop those skills themselves, but also gives them the opportunity to assist their peers.”
Elli, one of the StreetLaw team, thoroughly enjoyed the experience, stating “Watching Varndean students learn techniques to assist in the functioning of their legal hub, was both rewarding and inspiring. The students benefited from our legal knowledge, but it was also the StreetLaw team that benefited from the chance to engage with young people in our community.”
