Mental Health Awareness Week: Spotlight on Law Clinic Partnership with Bristol Mind

Press release issued: 16 May 2019

This year the University of Bristol Law Clinic established drop-in sessions with Bristol Mind, a mental health resource that promotes wellbeing and provides accessible support services for people in Bristol and surrounding areas. In this article Student Outreach Manager Susannah Burley writes about the Law Clinic’s commitment to support Bristol Mind’s aims and to alleviate the pressure that can arise from legal issues.

_{By Susie Burley, Law Clinic Outreach Manager}

The University of Bristol Law Clinic has recently re-established a connection with Bristol Mind. This outreach project has been of particular significance for our students given that mental health problems have been rising amongst young people for some time now. Many of our students have witnessed the impact that such issues can have over an individual’s life. We are committed, therefore, to supporting those who are going through a difficult time. Our aim is to alleviate some of the pressure which can mount from ongoing legal matters.

Bristol Mind was founded in 1965 as a local Mind Association, meaning they are affiliated with the National Mind though they operate as an independently registered charity.

Bristol Mind aim to promote a positive view of mental health and provide accessible services which will empower the people using them. They support individuals through their recovery and many of the volunteers, staff members and trustees have themselves experienced the impact of emotional and mental distress. Bristol Mind offers a wide range of advocacy and outreach services, which have an incredible impact on the lives of their clients within the community in Bristol.

The Law Clinic is now one of these advocacy services offered. Our student team hold drop-in sessions on a fortnightly basis to provide advice to vulnerable clients. We deal with all manner of legal matters, from issues with housing and benefits, to Family and Mental Health Law.

While this offers students a fantastic chance to gain valuable client experience, it is also incredibly meaningful to see the impact that our assistance can have on the lives of our clients. We aim to ensure that each and every one of our clients feel as though they have been listened to and come away from the session knowing that they are supported by the service.

Students were also fortunate enough to attend a mental health training session at Bristol Mind, which opened our eyes to the wide variety of mental health conditions that affect some of their clients. We came away from the training session with a much better understanding of how to respond to vulnerable clients and sensitive cases.

Further information

The University of Bristol’s Law Clinic provides pro-bono legal advice, supporting those that most need it to get the justice they deserve - whilst students gain the very best clinical legal education through the provision of a valuable social service that has the power to change lives. You can read more about the work of the Clinic on their website.