Shelter

We work with Shelter, providing them with a team of student volunteers.  

Shelter is the leading charity for people who are homeless or in insecure housing or living in poor quality housing.  

People who are at immediate risk of homelessness or who are already homeless contact Shelter for help with keeping their house or being housed elsewhere, or for help with repairs and housing condition issues. 

As Lady Hale once said in a judgment, nothing is more awful than homelessness. Everyone deserves a safe home. 

What our students do 

Students can apply to join the Shelter Norfolk hub, working with their legal team at Shelter’s Fishergate office.  Students are managed directly by Shelter with support from UEA Law Clinic. 

People may contact Shelter by email, phone, or by coming to the door. UEA students will deal directly with clients and also provide important backroom support to the legal team.  

Activities might include: 

• Making initial calls to potential new clients  

• Answering the doorbell to potential new clients and shadowing/conducting ‘triage’ interviews. Some of these clients may be facing immediate homelessness. 

• Completing legal aid forms, and gathering evidence of means, and case papers for the legal time prior to the client seeing the legal adviser/solicitor.  

• Conducting research for staff on points of law and housing issues, eg linked to our local campaigns   

• Conducting property searches for homeless clients seeking rehousing.   

• Inputting information onto our case management system (CRM)   

• General administrative tasks (photocopying, scanning, creating client files and filing, post).  

• Communicating with staff and other volunteers that day about the tasks allocated to you.   

The time commitment is one half day per week or a full day per fortnight, around your UEA classes.  

We usually recruit once per year for this role. We will advertise these opportunities by email.  

This volunteering role is not paid, but Shelter do cover travel expenses. All volunteers are subject to a criminal records bureau check. 

Housing law training is provided by UEA, by Shelter, and/or by LawWorks. You will also receive de-escalation training and training on data protection and safeguarding. Pastoral care is available.  

Students will develop experience in housing law; legal aid eligibility; client care (including working with very vulnerable people); and campaigning, as well as many transferable skills. Housing law is an area in which there is a deficit of qualified lawyers.  Students who impress Shelter have previously gone onto permanent paid roles.