enhancing and promoting students' skills: pro bono and cv development

Enhancing and Promoting Enhancing and Promoting Student Skills: Student Skills:

Pro Bono and CV Development Pro Bono and CV Development

Lydia Bleasdale-HillLydia Bleasdale-Hill

Paul WraggPaul Wragg

School of Law, University of LeedsSchool of Law, University of Leeds

Today’s discussionToday’s discussion

How do we maximise the extent to which How do we maximise the extent to which students recognise the skills gained via pro students recognise the skills gained via pro bono for example, and make use of those bono for example, and make use of those for the purposes of their future careers? for the purposes of their future careers?

Results of two surveys conducted with Results of two surveys conducted with students involved in Law School pro bono students involved in Law School pro bono activitiesactivities

Discussion of new careers website to assist Discussion of new careers website to assist in embedding skills recognitionin embedding skills recognition

Skills and pro bono:Skills and pro bono:surveyssurveys

Survey one (Spring 2010)Survey one (Spring 2010) Survey two (December 2010)Survey two (December 2010) Both designed to assess the extent to Both designed to assess the extent to

which students could independently which students could independently recognise skills gained from their recognise skills gained from their involvement with pro bono projectsinvolvement with pro bono projects

Both surveys asked an ‘open’ and ‘closed’ Both surveys asked an ‘open’ and ‘closed’ question about the skills gainedquestion about the skills gained

Survey oneSurvey one

StreetlawStreetlaw Pathways to LawPathways to Law Ambassador programme Ambassador programme E-Mentoring (with the Brightside Trust)E-Mentoring (with the Brightside Trust) Mentoring (through Education Leeds)Mentoring (through Education Leeds) Corporate Social Responsibility SchemeCorporate Social Responsibility Scheme Reading in the communityReading in the community Bar Pro Bono Unit Fundraising ChallengeBar Pro Bono Unit Fundraising Challenge Student Union Advice Centre - Contract CheckingStudent Union Advice Centre - Contract Checking 21 respondents21 respondents

Survey one: resultsSurvey one: results

Respondents listed between one and seven Respondents listed between one and seven skills in response to the first ‘open’ question, skills in response to the first ‘open’ question, and between four and twelve in response to the and between four and twelve in response to the ‘closed’ list of skills. ‘closed’ list of skills.

Respondents typically listed an extra six skills Respondents typically listed an extra six skills in response to the ‘closed’ question, with some in response to the ‘closed’ question, with some listing up to nine more. listing up to nine more.

Almost all of the respondents reported that they Almost all of the respondents reported that they could sell the skills gained in an effective could sell the skills gained in an effective manner to potential employersmanner to potential employers

Survey twoSurvey two

Innocence Project participants (13 Innocence Project participants (13 respondents)respondents)

Training and guidance given (including Training and guidance given (including skills sheet)skills sheet)

Ad hoc references in weekly meetings to Ad hoc references in weekly meetings to how participants might gain from activitieshow participants might gain from activities

Survey two: resultsSurvey two: results

Respondents listed between two and ten skills in Respondents listed between two and ten skills in response to the ‘open’ questionresponse to the ‘open’ question

Respondents listed between ten and twenty Respondents listed between ten and twenty skills in response to the ‘closed’ questionskills in response to the ‘closed’ question

On average, respondents listed an extra eleven On average, respondents listed an extra eleven skills which had been developed to a ‘great skills which had been developed to a ‘great extent’ or to ‘some extent’ on the Innocence extent’ or to ‘some extent’ on the Innocence ProjectProject

All respondents expressed confidence in selling All respondents expressed confidence in selling their experience to potential employerstheir experience to potential employers

What do these results tell us?What do these results tell us?

Students, even when trained, do not seem Students, even when trained, do not seem to fully recognise all the skills gained to fully recognise all the skills gained through pro bono activitiesthrough pro bono activities

A more holistic approach is required: A more holistic approach is required: combine traditional training methods with combine traditional training methods with embedding of skills recognition within embedding of skills recognition within general support systems – personal general support systems – personal tutoring, CV assistance, careers website…tutoring, CV assistance, careers website…

Law Careers WebsiteLaw Careers Website

‘‘Careers: Profession Progression’Careers: Profession Progression’ What are its aims?What are its aims? Why was it created?Why was it created? How does it work?How does it work? Where does it fit with University Where does it fit with University

employability skills policy?employability skills policy?

What are its aims?What are its aims?

To improve student recognition of:To improve student recognition of: the diversity of career paths available to Law the diversity of career paths available to Law

and Criminal Justice graduates;and Criminal Justice graduates; how employability skills are developed how employability skills are developed through curricular and extra-curricular through curricular and extra-curricular

activities;activities; To provide stakeholders with direct access To provide stakeholders with direct access

to their target audience. to their target audience.

Why was it created?Why was it created?

In response to critical NSS 2009 In response to critical NSS 2009 comments that:comments that: Traditional career route (commercial Traditional career route (commercial

solicitor/barrister) oversold;solicitor/barrister) oversold; Alternative career choices neglected;Alternative career choices neglected; Information overload; Information overload;

Context: impressive range of personal Context: impressive range of personal development opportunities & careers development opportunities & careers advice serviceadvice service

How does it work?How does it work?

From a list of careers, students are From a list of careers, students are provided with a sample CV/CL evidencing provided with a sample CV/CL evidencing the relevant employability skills;the relevant employability skills;

Provision for stakeholders to advertise Provision for stakeholders to advertise relevant sessions relevant sessions (courses/presentations/opportunities) to (courses/presentations/opportunities) to specific career path;specific career path;

Fit with University policyFit with University policy

Detail within CVs/CLs reminds/informs students Detail within CVs/CLs reminds/informs students that employability skills are developed by that employability skills are developed by curricular and extra-curricular activity.curricular and extra-curricular activity.

Not in competition with Leeds4Life (Not in competition with Leeds4Life (https://leedsforlife.leeds.ac.uk/login.aspx))

Different aim which complements Leeds4LifeDifferent aim which complements Leeds4Life Reflects University policy on employability skillsReflects University policy on employability skills

‘‘Decide – Plan – Compete’ Decide – Plan – Compete’

ConclusionsConclusions

Experience: Experience: Poor student recognition/expression of Poor student recognition/expression of

employability skillsemployability skills Recommendation: Recommendation:

Holistic approach to combine traditional training Holistic approach to combine traditional training methods with embedding of skills recognition methods with embedding of skills recognition within general support systemswithin general support systems

Realisation:Realisation: Creation of a subject-specific website that Creation of a subject-specific website that

reinforces Leeds 4 Life.reinforces Leeds 4 Life.