Public legal education (PLE) is an umbrella term that encompasses any form of work that improves understanding of legal issues. The aim of PLE is to empower individuals to understand their rights, responsibilities and awareness of the law. It aims to equip people with the necessary understanding and tools so that they can deal with their own legal issues and queries. PLE can be delivered in many formats:
Street Law is a branch of clinical legal education and is a teaching methodology that focuses on delivery in an interactive and learner-centered manner. It is delivered through games, discussion, debates and creative and informative techniques. Street Law activities foster communities with empowerment, confidence and access to and understanding of the law.
The Director of the QMLAC co-authored Street Law: Theory and Practice, a companion textbook to any student or facilitator engaging in, developing and reflecting on Street Law projects.
We at the QMLAC run a number of Street Law projects in schools and other community settings such as care homes and nurseries.
The variety of PLE and Street Law Projects offered at the Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre promote and encourage the active engagement of students with the local community, teaching them to embrace the aims of these activities and essentially bring law to the streets of Tower Hamlets and more widely London. Our aims are to share legal knowledge, raise awareness and offer support to vulnerable members of our society. To ensure that students get the most out of their learning experience, we hold reflection and feedback sessions and encourage the use of leaning diaries so the students can record their experiences at the Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre.
A university-wide project connecting Queen Mary students with A-Level students from East London for mentoring and events.
Teaching primary school children about the Equality Act through interactive workshops.
Helping prisoners with missing/lost/damaged property.
Taking action as a legal advice centre for climate justice.
Teaching primary school children about legal concepts and the prospect of going to university.
Educating young people in local secondary schools on the law and issues surrounding the illegality of sharing of intimate images.
QMLAC student authors work to produce blogs on topics of their choice, drawing out and articulating associated legal issues.
Supporting clients with asylum claims, in collaboration with the University of London Refugee Law Clinic.
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