Handbook

InTRODUCTION
WHY VOLUNTEER
Blackstone Volunteering has even more exciting opportunities in its second year in 2012. We have a variety of legal and non-legal volunteering partners from diverse backgrounds so there is something for everyone. Volunteering is a fantastic way to meet new people in and outside law school. It gives you the opportunity to use your skills in a practical way to benefit the community. Volunteering also gives you an edge with employers as it can develop your inter-personal skills, networking skills, writing skills and shows you are proactive. From my experience the most exciting experiences I have had, the most interesting people I have met and some of the best memories of uni have come from volunteering. You are missing out to not be involved with so many benefits. We look forward to having you on board in 2012! Rachel Lee Equity and Social Justice VP Blackstone Law Society

The year of 2011 was momentous in the world of volunteering, with international celebration of the UN Year of Volunteering. During this year Blackstone launched its very own volunteering program and laid the foundations for the diverse and rewarding Volunteering experience planned for 2012. This year Blackstone Volunteering will be continuing and building upon pre-existing relationships while exploring and creating new partnerships and pilot programs. We have developed a diverse range of volunteering opportunities for law students to engage in, encapsulated in our motto for 2012:

INNOVATE. ENGAGE. SUPPORT.

The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others - Mahatma Gandhi

Blackstone Volunteering Opportunities can be found on: The Blackstone Volunteering facebook page Blackstones Whats Up In The Courtyard e-newsletter Our Website: http://www.blackstone.asn.au/equity/volunteering/ To apply to volunteer email Alice Tormey at volunteering@blackstone.asn.au

Blackstone Volunteering students conduct workshops with Aspire schools by posing legal problems to students and asking questions to generate ideas and discussion about the law. This year Blackstone will participate in 11 Aspire visits and three Camps. The dates of school visits are released throughout the year. The three Year 9 camps are:

Aspire UWA works with schools, communities and educational organisations to raise aspirations among high school students in communities under-represented in higher education. Aspire is partnered with six schools in the Pilbara and 19 in outer metropolitan Perth that have a significant Indigenous student population or groups of students from new and emerging communities. Aspire begins targeting students in Year 9 and continues to support them through to transition to university.

ASPIRE UWA

Pilbara schools 2527 July

Mid West / Kimberly school 57 December Mid West / Kimberly schools 1214 December

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE VOLUNTEERING

Since opening in November 1990, Ronald McDonald House Perth has provided a home away from home to more than 3000 rural families with a child undergoing treatment for cancer or other serious illnesses at Princess Margaret Hospital. Blackstone Volunteering will support RMH by: Participating in the Make a meal program on Thursday, 5 th April 2012. Volunteers will cook meals for the families staying at RMH (usually for 25-35 people). Families often spend all day at the hospital and when they return to the House they have very little energy left to prepare dinner. The Make a Meal program allows volunteers to give families time off by preparing and sharing a meal and cleaning up afterward. The children love meeting new people and the parents appreciate the chance to relax and enjoy a home-cooked dinner. Helping out at a Corporate Volunteering Day, Thursday, 30 th August 2012 This day involves volunteers putting some elbow grease into general Househousekeeping, gardening and spring clean-up duties. An example of the cleaning duties is sanitizing toys so the children, who may have fragile immune systems due to illness, can play in a sterile environment.

SUDANESE SAIL AUSTRALIAN INTERGRATED LEARNING PROGRAM

Sa I L
The SAIL Program is a volunteer-run, non-profit, secular organization which provides English and community support to the Australian Sudanese refugee community. SAIL is currently seeking new tutors to allow the Perth campus to grow. The 2012 SAIL program commences on the 18th of February, running at the Balga community centre. Volunteers are expected to commit on a weekly or fortnightly basis. If you would like to become involved, or would simply like more information about the program, please visit our website www.sailprogram.org.au Or contact Jo at perth@sailprogram.org.au

Wynn Carr House provides crisis accommodation and support to women seeking refuge from domestic or family violence. Blackstone Volunteering in partnership with the WILMS/Womens Officer, will assist in preparing and packaging refuge hampers for women seeking refuge at Wynn Carr House. Donations for hampers will be collected and it will be our role to compile the hampers and deliver them to the centre

WYNN CARR HOUSE REFUGE CENTRE DRIVE

UWA FAIRWAY
Fairway UWA offers an alternative pathway for eligible students to study at UWA by focusing on performance in year 12. The program recognises that students who face financial hardship and other difficult circumstances are often prevented from achieving their true academic potential. Blackstone Volunteers will participate in the Bite Size Uni Taster program: The Program is targeted at Year 11 students who are disadvantaged financially or by another means (i.e they are a carer). Blackstone Volunteers will run one hour workshops featuring a moral dilemma with these students to develop their understanding of the legal system and promote the study of the law and the pathways to gain entry into university. Dates are: April 2nd, 3rd, 4th July 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th September 3rd, 4th, 5th

Pilot Programs
ASSeTS VOLUNTEERING
ASeTTS is a not-for-profit, non-government organisation which provides treatment and support to people who have been tortured or traumatised by violent conflicts. Many of ASSeTS clients are recent arrivals to Australia, although their services are available to all survivors whatever the length of their residence has been in Australia. Blackstone Volunteers can Volunteer at ASSeTS as:

To apply for Project Connect or to be a Client Advocate, email the Asetts Volunteer Coordinator: Jim Sharp at volunteer@asetts.org.au. Email any queries about the position to volunteer@asetts.org.au or phone 9227 2700. See the Asetts website for further information: http://www.asetts.org.au/referralservices/project-connect-volunteer-program/

UNIDISCOVERY HOMEWORK CLUB

UniDiscovery conducts programs to engage students from the following groups: low socioeconomic backgrounds, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, rural and isolated regions, Indigenous communities and new and emerging communities. Homework Club gives students the opportunity to seek tutoring and mentoring assistance from University students. Blackstone Volunteers participating in UniDiscoverys homework club will assist students with homework, assignments and mentor their students about higher education studies.

Legal Opportunities
ETHNIC DISABILITY ADVOCACY CENTRE
EDAC is the peak advocacy organisation for people with disabilities from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in WA. EDAC provides individual and systemic advocacy services for people with all types of disability including physical, sensory, intellectual and psychiatric conditions in areas such as the justice system, health-care, education, child-care, employment, housing, transport and others. Blackstone Volunteering students carry out specialised research, based on topics provided by EDAC, utilising the legal resources available to them. The research is conducted over a semester and compiled into reports, usually 2 -5 pages in length. Blackstone Volunteering will organise an induction day for students to attend an EDAC staff meeting to meet the team and acquire an understanding of the role EDAC plays in the community and the importance of their research papers If you are interested in Volunteering for EDAC please email volunteering@blackstone.asn.org.au Friends of International Humanitarian Law FoIHL is a formal volunteer group tasked with supporting the Red Cross IHL Officer and IHL Committee, as well as independently promoting IHL issues within WA. This is a great opportunity for those seeking to develop leadership and promote something from the ground up, as well as for anyone interested in IHL. An information evening will be held on Wednesday, 7 March at 6.30-8.00PM at the Red Cross offices, 110 Goderich St East Perth. Students wishing to refresh or extend their IHL knowledge may be interested in an introductory session being held at the Red Cross from 9am to 3pm on 17 March and an intermediate seminar from 9am to 3pm on 21 April

RED CrOSS

EXTRA VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES

The below opportunities are not official Blackstone Volunteering partners but they are good organisations to volunteer with if you are after something different to what our official partners offer.

ST BARTHOLOMEWS Volunteer at the homeless refuge centre through their Befriender program Visit: http://stbarts.or g.au/
Oaktree's Live Below the Line Campaign May 7th-11th Take up the challenge to live on less than $2 of food a day for 5 days with 10000 other Australians to fund education opportunities and build schools in Papua New Guinea.
http://theoaktree.org/

Amnesty International Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people campaigning to protect human rights. We have a vision of a world in which every person enjoys all of the rights stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. http://www.amnesty.org.au/wa/