A joint press release with Streetwork

Legal Aid Project Launch - Young people at risk get a better deal from legal aid services

Tuesday 9 April 2002

Legal help on civil issues will be more readily available to vulnerable groups such as rough sleepers and young people at risk (for example, those with drug, alcohol and mental health problems) as a result of an initiative to be carried out by Streetwork and the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

The innovative new project is being launched at the Council Chambers in Edinburgh at11.30 a.m. on Wednesday 10th April. It is one of four pilots in a programme pioneering new approaches to delivering legal advice and improving access to justice. Solicitors employed by the Scottish Legal Aid Board will work with local advice giving organisations.

Referring to the project, the Board’s Chairman, Jean Couper, said:

“This is a very exciting project that will provide legal help to some of the most socially disadvantaged people in Edinburgh. We very much welcome the work that Streetwork has put into developing this project, and look forward to watching its progress and effects on the community Streetwork is working with.”

The Streetwork Legal Advice Project will allow a solicitor, Norman Mackay, employed by the Scottish Legal Aid Board, to provide legal advice and representation to young people and rough sleepers in Edinburgh. This is an innovative model for the provision of legal aid services focussing on clients who are excluded from traditional services and offering advice in priority areas such as housing, children's rights, human rights and community
care. It does not cover advice on criminal matters, although Norman Mackay will be able to help the client find another solicitor who can deal with criminal matters.

He accompanies other street workers one night a week, to provide oral legal advice, and at other times he arranges to meet clients in non-traditional settings such as drop-in centres, hostels, cafes and their own homes, when and where they feel comfortable.

Streetwork is working closely with a number of partner agencies such as the City of Edinburgh Council (Social Work and Housing), Shelter, Scotland, Edinburgh Campaign and Services for Homeless People, Who Cares, Scotland, HM Prison, Edinburgh and Edinburgh Youth Social Inclusion Partnership. This is to make sure that the services of the project are available to clients of all organisations in Edinburgh who work with excluded or vulnerable people, and to provide training for staff on issues such as the Housing (Scotland) Act and human rights legislation.

Katie Owen, spokesperson for Streetwork, says:

“The fact that a solicitor is working in this environment rather than from an office, and in casual clothes rather than a suit, makes a huge difference to people who have a fear or dislike for people in authoritative positions or who find formal settings difficult. It brings down a barrier allowing more constructive relationships between solicitor and clients to take place. We are hoping that this is a pilot project and can be replicated throughout the
country to ensure access to civil legal assistance to all vulnerable members of society”.

Explaining why she thought Streetwork’s project had been chosen over other similar projects in the field, Katie Owen went on to say

“Streetwork has a successful ten year history in working with this vulnerable client group and has an excellent rapport with clients allowing productive work to take place. Whilst this is not a direct partnership proposal, Streetwork, based in the city centre, has a good working relationship with a number of related organisations in and around Edinburgh.”

The Scottish Executive has given the Scottish Legal Aid Board additional funding of £250,000 a year which has led to the creation of the pilot projects. Last year the Board invited interested organisations to submit proposals and over 40 submissions were made from across Scotland. The successful projects were announced in October 2001 at a prestigious event attended by around 150 people, including the then Deputy Justice Minister Iain Gray.

In addition to the Edinburgh pilot, asylum seekers in Glasgow, socially excluded people in West Lothian and people in rural areas of the Highlands and Islands will benefit from the other three pilot projects.

Jean Couper summed up:

“The aim is to make legal advice more accessible by adapting to non-traditional legal settings and delivering services in new and different ways. The projects will provide new, innovative and much wanted services to the communities they serve, while giving the Board and others a unique insight into different ways of providing legal advice. The information gained will be invaluable in the development of community legal services in Scotland, building upon the strengths and variety of present provisions, through new partnerships, new initiatives and new services.”

For further information, please contact

Streetwork: Katie Owen, 0131 476 3666, or katie@streetwork.org.uk (Streetwork, 14 Albany Street, Edinburgh., EH1 3QB)

Scottish Legal Aid Board: Charlotte Townsend or Janet Nixon, 0131 226 7061 or e-mail townsendch@slab.org.uk or nixonja@slab.org.uk (Scottish Legal Aid Board, 44 Drumsheugh Gardens, Edinburgh, EH3 7SW

Editors’ notes

1. Streetwork
   Streetwork was established in 1992 to work with young people at risk on the streets to help them make better choices and avoid the damaging effects of homelessness, drugs, alcohol, gang violence, unprotected sex, prostitution and crime. The project provides advice, information and preventative education to individuals and groups, coupled with intensive advocacy support to help them access services. The project uses a person centred approach to deliver this support through a range of one to one and group work activities conducted both on the street and at the office base. Currently, our staff are out on the streets seven days/nights a week, providing a first point of contact, advice, information, resources and support to vulnerable young people and rough sleepers.
   
   
2. Legal advice pilot projects
   Part V of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986 allows the Board to employ solicitors to work in partnership with local advice giving organisations. In March last year the Board invited interested organisations to submit proposals for pilot projects to be run under the newly commenced powers contained in Part V. The Board received over 40 submissions from such organisations or partnerships of organisations from across Scotland. The number, quality and diversity of the proposals submitted reflected the range of advice services available in Scotland and demonstrated the imagination, innovation and commitment of those offering the services.
   
   The four successful projects were announced at a launch event hosted by the Board on 11 October. The package of projects heralds the start of a programme of developing new approaches to delivering legal advice and improving access to justice. Amongst those who will benefit from the pilot projects are asylum seekers in Glasgow, people living in rural areas of the Highlands and Islands, socially excluded people in West Lothian and rough sleepers and young people in Edinburgh.
   
   As well as commencing the necessary legislation, the Scottish Executive has given the Board additional funding of £250,000 pa for the projects. This funding meets the costs of the solicitors and the running costs of the projects, such as administration.
   
3. Legal aid
   Legal aid allows people who would not otherwise be able to afford it to access the help of a solicitor, and in some circumstances an advocate. To receive legal aid, applicants must consult a solicitor who will help them complete an application. The Board itself does not provide a legal aid service – it pays solicitors and advocates to do this.
   
4. The Scottish Legal Aid Board
   The Scottish Legal Aid Board is responsible for managing legal aid in Scotland. It is a non-departmental public body set up under the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986. Twelve Board members, including the chairman, appointed by Scottish Ministers, currently oversee the work.
   
   The Board’s mission is to develop and deliver appropriate access to quality legal assistance for those eligible, in a cost-effective manner. The Board’s main tasks are to consider and then grant or refuse applications for legal aid; to scrutinise accounts and pay solicitors and advocates for the legal aid work they do and to advise Scottish Ministers on legal aid matters.