We know how privileged we are to work for a successful global law firm. We know too that, for many young people, such an aspiration is inconceivable. Our Learn for Work programme addresses this challenge and currently inspires over 10,000 young people in 18 countries every year.
Activities include debating, interview experience and advocacy training, as well as work experience, careers events and enterprise projects. All aim to raise the skills, aspirations and experience of those who live or go to school nearest to our offices but who are, in may ways, also the furthest away.
In London, we continue our award-winning work with young people in Hackney. This includes a debating challenge across the borough at primary level, as well as citizenship and leadership training at Clapton Girl’s Technology College at secondary level. Working with six different charity partners, we are building a programme that offers something for all volunteers, including roles in a support function, in a business team or as a lawyer. Our people provide a friendly face and we use their personal stories to underline the young people’s own potential.
An important dimension of our support is through our work experience. In keeping with our focus on the quality of our community investment, this programme offers participants the opportunity to spend time understanding the working of a corporate law firm, the realities of working life and – through visits to other organisations – a wider appreciation of careers in the City. As well as direct placements through our schools, we work with Pathways to Law and Social Mobility Foundation to identify students who would be the first in their families to attend university and for whom such opportunities would otherwise be hard to find.
Please click here to view our latest Learn for Work video
We are also a founding member of PRIME, a profession-wide undertaking to give fair access to quality work experience for young people from less privileged backgrounds.
Supported by the Law Societies of England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland; and social mobility charity The Sutton Trust, PRIME commits member firms to provide work experience which gives a meaningful insight into the range of careers available in the legal profession and the potential routes to get there. More information about PRIME can be found at www.primecommitment.org.
In China, we are piloting a university bursary programme that will help students from disadvantaged backgrounds to succeed in higher education. Linklaters’ mentors will provide additional guidance to the students. Similar bursary schemes are being explored around our offices and are likely to expand as we begin to directly fund those who would otherwise fall at the final hurdle.
Centro Social do Bairro 6 de Maio is located in one of Lisbon’s most deprived areas and works with underprivileged young people, focusing on promoting better social, educational and family cohesion. The “A Step In The Right Direction Project” has been supported by the Lisbon Office since 2008 (as part of a three-year community investment commitment). Volunteers help in the special learning support scheme and teach Portuguese as part of the literacy project. The project also awards prizes to the best students and funds seven university scholarships. The results have been highly rewarding, and participating students have seen their school marks improve over the year. For the first time, seven neighbourhood students are attending university; before the support was available, no students from the Bairro 6 de Maio had ever gone to university.
