Students advise Afghan refugees

A group of College of Law students are giving pro bono legal advice to Afghan refugees in Birmingham to help them understand the government's new voluntary repatriation proposals.

Twelve students are working on a three-month pilot scheme run in association with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and the Immigration Advisory Service which, if successful, will be replicated with students from the College of Law in London and Chester.

Earlier this month, the students met with representatives of Birmingham's Afghan community, and gave a presentation explaining their legal rights under the new proposals.

The repatriation packages, which came into force last August, can include their air flight home, money for resettlement and help finding work back in Afghanistan.

The students also gave one-to-one advice to the Afghans attending the session, and if necessary referred their cases to the Immigration Advisory Service for further action.

Meanwhile, the College of Law's pioneering StreetLaw Plus initiative has won a 250,000 grant from Doncaster Central's New Deal for Communities Board which means it can continue its project work in Doncaster for another three years.

Students from the College's York branch have been working with local residents' associations, schools and community groups to educate them about the law.

Some 150 students are involved with the scheme, and current projects include running a service for residents who struggle with writing letters about legal issues.

Elsewhere, City giant Linklaters has been named employer of the year by the National Mentoring Consortium.

Twelve members of staff mentor African, Caribbean and Asian university students interested in pursuing a legal career.

Victoria MacCallum