Volunteer legal caseworkers provide support to BID’s Legal Managers in the delivery of legal advice, information and representation to immigration detainees in the UK held either in prisons or detention centres. They are provided with training in asylum, immigration and human rights law to enable them to take exams at OISC Level One.
Main tasks
- Responding to incoming calls when the telephone lines are open.
Making calls to a wide range of people in order to collect information for bail
hearings (for example, solicitors, detainees, detainees’ friends and family, the
Home Office). - Keeping accurate case records (which involves recording all calls made and
received on client’s file and recording all action taken.) - Sending out letters and information to detainees.
- Drafting letters to support applications for release.
- Some research to support bail applications.
- Supporting detainees who are preparing their own bail applications using the
BID self-help book, How to Get out of Detention. - Administrative tasks, such as dealing with incoming mail or inputting case
records into database. - Assisting the Right to Liberty Manager or other BID staff with workshops or
legal advice sessions in immigration removal centres or prisons.
Most potential volunteers are recruited as assistant caseworkers
We prioritise applicants with the most relevant qualifications and experience who can offer the most time commitment. Usually this will be up to four days per week for six months.
We do not take on volunteers for less than two days per week, nor for less than six months. This is to enable volunteers to learn as much as possible, including to benefit from the training in asylum, immigration and human rights law that they will receive which will enable them to take OISC Level 1 exams. We also prioritise
applicants who speak languages spoken most commonly by those in detention.
We have a rolling programme of recruitment as volunteers join and leave throughout the year. We also sometimes take on students for student placements as part of their undergraduate studies.
You should:
- Be keen to challenge detention and to enable people to exercise their right to
liberty. - Have a good telephone manner and the confidence to call a wide range of
people - Have the ability to accurately record and summarise information.
- Question assumptions and be open-minded.
- Be able to work in a small, busy office.
- Speak fluent English.
Desirable
- Graduate or post-graduate degree in law along with some legal experience
- Speaker of languages other than English, particularly key languages spoken
by people in detention. - Experience of the immigration system and/or detention, either first hand
experience or, for example, through visiting detainees. - Experience of working with people whose first language is not English.
- Interest in human rights, migration or asylum issues.
- Experience of preparing bail applications, immigration cases or other legal
cases
Please apply using this link.
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