It has been observed by students that more work needs to be done to support Widening Access students as they transition into the School of Law.
It is widely acknowledged that students from a contextualised background not only face a more challenging path to law but also encounter greater difficulties in staying and succeeding in their studies. This is often due to factors such as caregiving responsibilities or longer commutes resulting from financial constraints that prevent them from relocating closer to campus.
To achieve our vision of improving student satisfaction we will offer supplementary support in the form of a mentor and mentee relationship.
In light of the challenges that students from a contextualised background face, there is a need for Level 3 and 4 students to help guide, support, and lend a listening ear to those who may be struggling. As older and hopefully more experienced students, we possess a unique set of skills and experiences that could be invaluable when shared with younger peers.
The proposed initiative is student-led and supplementary to the support that the School of Law Faculty offer. It would take an informal approach. Envisioning pairing an honours student with a first- or second-year contextualised background student in the School of Law. The Honours student would offer to maintain regular communication, including email correspondence and potentially in-person meetings, as their schedules permit. This student-led initiative would be entirely voluntary, with participation based on the willingness of both Social Mobility and Honours students. Personally, having found my own first year overwhelming and challenging to navigate, we can attest to the value of having an honours student mentor reach out regularly, and we believe this initiative could provide significant support to those who need it.