THE Worcester-based advocacy charity Onside, which supports some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Worcestershire, is celebrating the success of a new project and appealing for more supporters to help it grow and thrive in the future.

The organisation has been running its advocacy service for more than 20 years and in recent years has seen a rise in the number of people it helps needing legal advice on a range of issues such as divorce, access and contact with children, employment and benefits, property matters, Court of Protection issues and litigation.

Cathy Jackson-Read, deputy chief executive at Onside, said: “Over the past few years we have become increasingly concerned that many of those people are no longer able to access the legal advice and support they often desperately need.

“Changes in legal aid, reduced availability of free support from organisations like CAB and an increasingly complex and fast moving world all mean that people most in need of legal advice are often those least able to access it and they are at greatest risk of facing unfair treatment.

“Two years ago we decided to try to do something about this unfair and unjust situation. We developed a partnership with Worcester Law School and began building a volunteer team of Onside advocates and law students to support vulnerable people.”

For the project to work it needed to get support from local solicitors willing to provide free legal help, she added. Onside received help to set it up from the national charity Law Works, which identified local solicitors who might help.

“It has taken time and effort but we are delighted to say that we now have support from an amazing team of solicitors and their firms who are actively supporting a wide range of vulnerable people including Tony Sheridan, SME Solicitors, Thomas Horton Solicitors and Banks Solicitors.

“Recently we have welcomed some new firms, such as Parkinson Wright, Irwin Mitchell and Scaiff, to the project and we are now developing and expanding the service so that more disadvantaged people can have access to the advice they need.”

The project is called Access to Justice and since its launch a year ago, it has helped 35 individuals with legal issues and problems. “We believe that the help that they have received as a result of the project is invaluable,” Cathy said.

The project co-ordinator barrister Alex Kalenuik said: “I must thank all the solicitors and Worcester Law School for giving their time for free and making this project a success. Their generosity and enthusiasm has enabled Onside to provide free legal advice to people this year who are often in crisis with no one to support them.”

Cathy explained that Onside has no ongoing funding to support Access to Justice and due to the increasing demand for the service is looking for volunteers to help with the project and would like to hear from anyone interested in providing financial support or interested in fundraising for it.

Anyone interested in volunteering for the Access to Justice project should contact Claire Watkins by e-mailing Claire.watkins@onside-advocacy.org.uk or calling 01905 27525. Onside helps 3,000 vulnerable adults across Worcestershire and Herefordshire every year through mentoring and advocacy. It employs 60 staff and has 140 volunteers.

CASE STUDY

One man was referred to Onside Advocacy by his community psychiatric nurse as his ex-partner had suddenly stopped him from seeing his son. His ex-partner had stopped communicating totally and this was having a negative impact on his mental health.

He was supported by an advocate to meet with an Access to Justice solicitor. He said: “The solicitor understood my mental health condition, made me feel at ease and was happy to discuss the situation and provide advice.

“My advocate and I then went away and drafted letters to be sent to my ex-partner laying out what I wanted to happen. Whenever my advocate and I came across an issue that we weren't sure what we should do about my advocate contacted the Access to Justice solicitor and sought advice. Advice was happily given and we then acted on this.

“Without the support and information from my advocate and the solicitor I would have given up trying to re instate access to my son. We still haven't got there yet but I understand that it is a long process and really value the support I am receiving.”

• Worcester Law School is part of the Heart of Worcestershire College and located in its St Wulstan’s Building in Deansway, Worcester. The degree for students studying the single honours LLB degree taught at Worcester Law School is awarded by Staffordshire University.

• Law Works is a national charity committed to enabling access to justice through free/pro bono legal advice. It does this by enabling access to justice to individuals in need of advice, who are not eligible for legal aid and are without the means to pay for a lawyer, and by brokering legal advice to small not-for-profit organisations to support their services to people in need.

• The charity works with partners and its work is delivered by a network of committed volunteer lawyers and law students.

• According to Law Works, the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 which came into force on April 1 2013 had a marked effect on the ability of vulnerable and disadvantaged people to seek legal advice. The number of social welfare clients help dropped by 79 per cent while those wanting help with family law cases dropped by 60 per cent.

• According to Law Works, pro bono is not, and should not become, an alternative to a properly funded system of legal aid – it simply cannot fill the vacuum and need caused by policy change and cuts - but its importance and value has never been greater.