Considering a career in law in Scotland?

When the Law Society of Scotland spoke to a group of young people and students about the legal profession we were surprised to find one of the biggest hurdles facing them was the fact influential people in their lives (teachers, careers advisers and family) had suggested a career in law might be too difficult for them.

There is no doubt law is competitive, both in training and in practice, but we were surprised and disappointed to find this was raised as one of the single biggest barriers, especially as this advice may not be correct. For example, people who had made the effort to continue in the legal profession gave generally positive feedback about their time studying. In addition, a number of role models in the profession show that people with a range of disabilities do enjoy successful careers.

So, if you are at school and considering your university options, or considering a change of career, we’d encourage you to do your own research and make your own decisions about whether law could be for you. The Society can assist by providing impartial and confidential careers advice, and can discuss any concerns you may have around access to education and training or the type of ‘reasonable adjustments’ you may require.

How do you train to be a solicitor?
The route to qualification as a solicitor is undergoing significant changes, which will come into force in 2011. In late 2006, the Society began a lengthy consulation period focusing on the routes into the profession. This included specific consultation with a range of people with disabilities, and equality impact assessments of proposed changes. If you have not started to study
yet, or if you are currently on the route to qualification – particularly if you are currently a law student – then it is highly likely your next stage of the route to qualification will change as a result of the revised policies. In addition, there will be changes to the current CPD requirements, which is relevant to all solicitors in Scotland holding a practising certificate.

What are the changes going to be?
Currently, in order to become a solicitor in Scotland, the usual route to qualification is the LLB, followed by the Diploma in Legal Practice and finally a two-year traineeship.

In academic session 2011/12, the present LLB will be replaced by a new Foundation Programme, which will be offered at the same level as the LLB but with some changes to the programme itself, including changes to the professional subjects.

The Diploma in Legal Practice will become professional education and training stage 1 (PEAT 1) and from 1 September 2011 the traineeship will become professional education and training stage 2 (PEAT 2). As part of this, the professional competence course (PCC) will no longer be required from August 2011 and instead will be replaced by trainee continuing professional development (TCPD), although the PCC can be deemed as TCPD until September 2013. The post-graduate vocational element (PEAT 1) is the
stage of legal education where knowledge, skills, attitudes and values are learnt in a simulated environment. This will also be known as the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice.

The work-based element (PEAT 2) is the stage of legal education where the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values are built on and honed. Two major changes in this area are the introduction of outcomes which apply across both PEAT 1 and PEAT 2, in professionalism, professional ethics and standards”, and “professional communication”. The two stages have never been linked
in this way before and the link will provide real clarity across the two. The introduction of electives comprising half the course will change the face of the Diploma, as it offers choices to students.

There will also be changes to CPD requirements for all solicitors. The new framework, which will come into force on 1 November 2011, retains the existing requirement of a minimum of 20 hours each year. To support solicitors in their CPD activities the Society will introduce basic templates, which will be capable of being completed online, to assist with identifying training needs, recording CPD undertaken and evaluating the outcome of the training. In addition, from 2011 a wider range of activities will be acceptable
as CPD. These will include activities such as structured and formalised one- to-one training, coaching, and online training, rather than the present narrow definition of group study.

Over the coming months, the Society will be releasing regular information updates to the profession about developments to keep you informed of progress and any action required. www.lawscot.org.uk/members/legal-reform-and-policy/education–training-policy

Lots more information, including other careers to pursue with a law degree and on other jobs in the sector, such as becoming a paralegal, can be found on www.lawscot.org.uk and www.lawscotjobs.co.uk/traineeships

For further information contact: heathermcphee@lawscot.org.uk

The College has demonstrated its commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion matters in a number of ways, including allocating specific responsibilities throughout the College, beginning at Governing Body level.

The targets we strive towards cover key themes:

• Commitment, Communication & Awareness
• Teaching, Training, Support & Guidance
• Environment & Access
• Monitoring & Target Setting
• Inclusion & Involvement

We define Equality, Diversity & Inclusion as follows:

• Equality means treating people equally
• Diversity means recognising, encouraging and accommodating differences
• Inclusion, in both a social and educational context, means recognising every individual’s right to be treated equally, and to be accorded the same services and opportunities as everyone else.

Download the College’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Targets document.

Salford City College was established on 1 January 2009 following the merger of Eccles, Pendleton and Salford Colleges. Its mission is to ‘inspire people to create opportunities and enrich lives through learning’.

To ensure the College motivates and supports learners to the best of their abilities all staff receive specialised training on equality and diversity issues. Its Additional Learning Support team are proactive in working with students, specialising in supporting needs and delivering support to learners where they feel it’s most needed. Support at the College ranges from specific conditions and rare syndromes to learners who have mild learning difficulties – all are given tailored and assisted learning support to suit them and ensure their success.

STUDENT TESTIMONIAL

“When I started at Eccles College the staff took me around so I could see the lessons and meet the staff. I did a diagnostic test on the computer. Someone asked the technician to set the computer so I could see it clearly. That computer is mine to use whenever I need it. Another tutor contacted social services for me to help me get a new long cane because mine is too long.

“All the support staff attended a visual impairment training day when I first started. This helped them to understand how I see and how I feel. I always feel safe in the college because I am allowed to be independent with the support of staff. If I have a problem I can talk to any member of staff. We also have a class rep who tells the staff what we think of College.

“I had a PC review with some of the staff and they helped me prepare beforehand by typing everything up that I wanted to say. I brought pictures and I invited my social worker and my mum. I felt that the two support workers listened to me and asked me questions rather than asking my mum.

“Staff have helped me with independent travel and living independently. I have loved going to Blackpool because I was allowed to show the driver my bus pass myself and pay for things in shops myself. I was allowed to choose my own clothes and decide what time I could go to bed and get up. I chose my own breakfast, lunch and tea. It was great. College has helped me to do a course and a work placement at Henshaw’s College for the Blind, and in September I will start another course at Henshaw’s doing IT.”

MORE: For information on courses and job opportunities at Salford City College, call 0161 736 2302 or visit www.salfordcc.ac.uk.

It’s a position that means we can think in terms of long-term benefits, rather than shareholder-driven profits. And in these tough financial times, that gives us a huge advantage. Because not only does it make us a stronger business and a more secure place to work, it also puts us (and our employees) in a position to grow.

We’ve already carried out some of our growth plans by acquiring three successful regional brands. And our constantly evolving commercial operation means there
are always plenty of opportunities in the pipeline, both for our business and our employees.

So wherever you join us – be it in our award-winning call centres, one of our 700 high street branches or any of our main offices – you’ll get a breadth of opportunity you won’t experience anywhere else. You’ll also enjoy a range of benefits that have seen us recognised as an Investor in People and Local Employer of Choice. But we won’t stop at rewarding your achievements and giving you all the training and support you need; we may also be able to offer you flexible hours that fit around your lifestyle. And we promise you right now that you’ll always be treated with trust and respect.

Our ethical approach goes beyond doing our best for members and employees though. We also invest 1% of our pre-tax profits in giving back to our communities.
But as well as doing our bit by launching an award-winning education website and working with Citizens Advice to teach better money management skills, we also
fund the Nationwide Foundation, a grant-giving charity that tackles homelessness and financial exclusion. And on top of that we support a range of charities, from
Macmillan Cancer Support and Shelter to Disability Sports and Skill Force. So if you choose to get involved in fundraising days or volunteering opportunities, or even
just make a payroll donation, you’ll have our full support. So wherever your career at Nationwide takes you, we’ll invest in you every step of the way.

Oxford Initiatives include;
• A Shopmobility Scheme used by 2,400 people annually, open 8am-6.30pm, seven days a week, with free parking for service users. Equipment is bookable in advance; outside hours coverage can be arranged, and RADAR keys for access to 7,000 toilets across Oxfordshire can be purchased for
£3.50.

• In partnership with Oxfordshire County Council and the Oxfordshire Learning Disability Partnership Board, Oxford City Council boasts the only “Changing Places” facility in Oxfordshire, providing vitally needed facilities for disabled people and their carers in a way that standard accessible toilets (disabled toilets) do not meet, through the provision of a height adjustable changing bench and a hoisting system.

• An Access Forum meets every two months at the Town Hall to discuss access and highlight challenges/successes; it also produces a quarterly newsletter.

• In partnership with Oxford Brookes and Oxfordshire County Council, the Council produced an Oxfordshire Disability Directory listing all disability-related organisations and benefits. There is also a Disabled Guide to Oxford.
• In partnership with English Heritage, the Council installed a platform lift in the Town Hall to enable access to the Gallery Café, Gallery and training rooms.

• The Council held a successful Disability Information Fair in May 2009, and is planning another for July 2011.

• The Council assimilated the ‘Two Ticks’ Disability Symbol criteria as an integral part of its recruitment policy and is currently undergoing an assessment for accreditation.

• The Council
is hosting a
county-wide event to mark the International Day of Disabled Persons on 3 December 2010.

• As administer of Disabled Facilities Grants, the Council can provide up to £25,000 to introduce or improve access to the bedroom, kitchen, toilet, washbasin and bathroom facilities, e.g. by installing a stair lift or providing a downstairs bathroom. Between 2008-2010, the Council completed 128 jobs, spent £611,000 and achieved a ‘very good’ customer satisfaction rate.

• The Council provides: a Summer Garden Scheme to cater for a monthly visit for up to 250 tenants who are physically incapable of maintaining their own gardens; a Repairs Exemption Scheme where 500 tenants are currently eligible under DLA and DDA criteria; reduced garage rents for disabled tenants; and employs an in-house Occupational Health officer who has enabled a range of adaptations ranging from level access showers (roughly 100 installed per year) through to handrails and access ramps to be actioned within an average waiting time of nine weeks.

• A £5.8 million project for 38 new build homes, due for completion in September 2010, meets the Lifetime Homes standard with high levels of accessibility and adaptation options.

• The Council manages an assisted kerbside and waste recycling collections scheme for some 1,000 households.

• Sustainment Officers are employed to manage and support vulnerable tenants.

• Most key documents are available, on request, in Alternative Formats.

MORE: For more details of Oxford City Council accessible services contact Lynne Hooper, Access Officer on 01865 252 531 or email lhooper@oxford.gov.uk.

The Service has 17 community fire stations, 30 frontline appliances, nine special appliances (including a fireboat), and specialist teams and equipment for rope rescue, swift water rescue and dealing with large scale major incidents or disasters.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service serves a resident population of 1.09 million divided amongst the five constituent councils of Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland in the North East of England.

As well as providing an emergency response service, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service works to stop fires from happening in the first place to help create a safer community. This includes providing information and advice, for example:

• by offering free home safety checks (including the fitting of free smoke alarms), prioritising those most at risk from fire first
  through school safety talks
• working with young offenders (or those at risk of offending)
• one-to-one sessions with young people involved in fire setting
• inspecting business and commercial premises

The community fire stations have safety centres with meeting rooms, with the latest multi-media facilities, which members of the local community can use. The centres are also open to members of the public to drop in for fire safety advice.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service also runs SafetyWorks, a multi-agency interactive safety centre. Key partners include Northumbria Police, Nexus, the Environment Agency and the five local authorities in Tyne and Wear. Whilst the centre is based in Benwell, Newcastle, it is available to all in Tyne and Wear.

For more information visit www.twfire.gov.uk
Tyne and Wear’s Burning Ambition to support Disabled people at work

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) have always been committed to making their workplace friendly and empowering for all who work for them. In recent years it has become clear that it’s essential to focus this commitment specifically for disabled staff. In response to this need, they have set up an ‘Employee Advisory Group’ (EAG) made up of fire service colleagues dedicated to champion accessibility and fairness for staff with disabilities, and to ensure that the service can engage with the disabled community to educate their staff about disabled issues and highlight fire safety for people with disabilities.

The group is made up of a diverse mix of employees, both from Occupational Health and HR, as well as colleagues with disabilities who can contribute with their direct experiences of what it’s like to work for TWFRS. Carole Connor, a member of the group and employee with the service for the last 18 months, reflects on her experience.

‘I definitely don’t feel like a “problem” employee, which is something I have experienced in other organisations, I feel valued as equally as any other colleague. TWFRS promotes itself as a caring organisation and this is very evident throughout the culture. All of the staff are helpful and considerate; even those who don’t know me.’

Tony Thompson, also a member of the advisory group and manager of the service’s Occupational Health Unit feels very strongly about the need to enable people to be able to work for the service, irrespective of their condition.

‘No matter what the disability, physical or mental the service are open minded and have a flexible approach to possible adjustments.’

The EAG has been running since April 2010 and in that short time, it has taken on a number of projects to highlight accessibility and training needs for the service on issues around disability. The group championed a recent NHS placement scheme for young people with learning disabilities, welcoming two local young people, Jade Roberts and John Anderson, to have 13 weeks work experience with the service, assisting the service’s administration team, as well as learning all about the how the fire brigade works and helping to develop TWFRS staff understanding of learning disabilities. The scheme was a resounding success and both the service and the two young people took a great deal from the experience.

The group also work to advise the service on issues around Equality Impact Assessments and has recently undertaken training to be able to audit all of their premises for accessibility – ensuring that the TWFRS is both compliant with the law and more importantly totally accessible for any individual, be it a member of the public, or a member of staff.

Shaun Kelly, Community Relationship Manager, who chairs the group, gave his thoughts on TWFRS and the work of the advisory group.

‘I have only been with the service for 6 months, but I can honestly say that I have never worked for an organisation so committed to equality. This EAG is a perfect example of that commitment, and we hope we can continue to enhance our focus around disability. Ultimately, this is about making the service not only an fair and attractive place for people to work, irrespective of their disability, but also to improve our links with the wider disabled community to reduce the risk of fire and accidents.’

If you would like to explore partnership working with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, please contact Shaun by email at shaun.kelly@twfire.gov.uk

The Employees with Disabilities (EWD) Group is a council wide group run by council employees for council employees. The group has been in existence for over 16 years and was originally put in place by the council’s human resources committee to improve consultation with disabled people.

Group meetings comprise of talks from invited guests, consultation with council managers and discussions on topics that are important to employees with disabilities. The EWD group has a desire to implement change, helping the council meet the needs of its disabled employees. For example, the group provides consultation on relevant human resource policies and procedures within the council.

The EWD group offers an understanding and supportive environment for employees with disabilities.

As a direct result of the good work of the EWD group, many changes have been made across the council that have benefited disabled employees. This has recently included guidelines being developed for managers who support employees with disabilities. These guidelines provide practical support and guidance on the recruitment and management of employees with disabilities.  They also aim to ensure managers are clear on how to assess the need for reasonable adjustments for disabled employees, and can ensure they are implemented.

The group’s true success is its members. Empowering employees to become more active irrespective of their disabilities makes a real difference to their working lives, and in the levels of understanding within the organisation.

• “I have valued the advice and information that has come from the attendees, Chair and others. It helps to know that the support is there should I need it.  It’s good to feed off others’ determination and strength too.”
  EWD group member
• “People look at me and do not think I have a disability because they cannot see it. I have unseen disabilities and this group has helped me gain vital information. The EWD group is very important to me as we are all there for the same reason … We are united in our needs”
  EWD group member
• “I have found the group beneficial as it caters for all disabilities, those disabilities that we can see and those that we cannot. To me the group is a lifeline and a voice for people with disabilities. The group ensures that senior officials listen to the group which I feel is extremely vital.”
  EWD group member
• The group meets bi-monthly and aims to:
  1. Represent the views of employees with disabilities.
  2. Ensure that the disability discrimination act is adhered to.
  3. Represent and support employees with disabilities with any continual problems and if necessary, provide outside support.
  4. Encourage and support employees with disabilities to attend work, carry out their duties efficiently and providing all the equipment to do so.
  5. Arrive at work and leave work in a safe manner with all the necessary adaptions to buildings etc, for this to happen.

Who we are

What we do
The State Hospital provides assessment, treatment and care in conditions of high
security for individuals with mental disorder who, because of their dangerous, violent or
criminal propensities, cannot be cared for in any other setting. Given that the patients do
not have access to other services or communities, the Hospital must be able to address all
of their needs (e.g. therapeutic, vocational, social and physical wellbeing) via a range of
facilities within a highly secure perimeter.

For further information contact Pauline Thomson, Human Resources on Tel 01555 842083