The Employment Legal Advice Network (ELAN) is a network of over 40 organisations dedicated to ensuring that people in London are able to obtain advice about and enforce their employment rights and entitlements. There is currently opportunity to join ELAN's mentoring programme.
One of ELAN's aims is to engage employment law professionals (judiciary, barristers, solicitors) to volunteer as mentors with ELAN legal advisers working in the employment advice sector. The role of mentor is a hugely valued and important role. Current volunteer mentors meet at regular intervals with mentees. They act as confidential sounding boards, talking through particular legal issues, procedure rules, and practical advice e.g. time management, managing colleagues etc.
For the mentees, the chance to discuss their workload is a highly valued developmental opportunity. Mentors also enjoy the experience, citing that they are happy to share their knowledge and experience with others. The role of mentor can add huge value to the quality of advice provided to the most vulnerable workers and improves confidence and standards of those delivering frontline legal advice.
How it works
- Volunteers are matched with legal advisers for an initial four-week trial period.
- Mentoring takes place online or by telephone.
- At the outset, mentor and mentee agree how their arrangement will work e.g. meetings via zoom every Wednesday or every other week etc.
- Mentors make clear from the outset what they will and won’t do in their role. Some state that they will not carry out drafting or have client contact for example.
- Mentee organisations must commit to insuring the volunteer mentor as part of the project.
- ELAN reviews the relationship separately with mentor and mentee after a period of approximately four weeks.
- The mentoring relationship continues for as long as both parties agree but it is suggested that both should commit to a minimum period of three months including the trial period.
If you are interested in volunteering as a mentor to an employment adviser within the ELAN network, please contact Victoria Speed, director of ELAN.