Kenya Children�s Legal Aid Work (KCLAW) Volunteer

Kenyan Children�s Legal Aid Work was created in response to escalating levels of child abuse, neglect and impoverishment in Thika District in 2004. AfCiC staff realised that many acutely vulnerable children and their families were unable to access the Kenyan legal system to prosecute perpetrators, protect themselves and advocate for their human rights as enshrined in different government and international laws and conventions. As such the KCLAW programme was established to provide free legal aid to children, parents and guardians, to educate the community about children�s and parental rights and responsibilities in Kenyan and international law and to advocate on behalf of children and their families.

A census conducted by AfCiC in 2004, uncovered the following:

70% of street children were from broken homes, where they had been living with their mother but without their biological father.
21% were either single or double orphans.
40%+ had been abused, neglected or suffered mistreatment from a parent or relative.

All of these are issues which the KCLAW team address on a daily basis through their family mediation, community education and government lobbying activities.

Job Description:

The role of the KCLAW volunteer is not set in stone, and the activities you participate in will largely depend on your experience and your personal interest. However, here are some examples of the type of work you may be involved in:

Interviewing new clients and giving legal advice on issues such as support/maintenance, court procedures and reporting crimes.
Facilitating family mediation sessions.
Running workshops to educate the police, government departments, teachers and hospital staff on sensitivity towards children�s issues and child abuse.
Running school workshops educating children on their rights and responsibilities so as to increase their ability to protect themselves from human rights abuse.
Facilitating workshops with the police and street children to increase communication, co-operation and respect.
Conducting research into emerging children�s rights issues such as child labour, child trafficking and sexual abuse.
Running campaigns in the local area, e.g. an anti-child-labour campaign.
Being involved in an innovative drama advocacy programme, 'Hear our Voice', which allows both children, and a group of abused, neglected and abandoned women to tell their story, thus educating the local community.

Volunteers will be guided and supported through this role by the highly qualified and experienced local KCLAW staff.

Skills and Experience Required:

A background in the law field, particularly family law and human rights.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral.
Some experience of working in developing countries or in a multi-cultural environment preferred.
Enthusiasm for and dedication to the aims of KLAW.
Able to work on own initiative and with minimal supervision.
Good team working skills.

Other Requirements:

You must be 21 years or older, a non-smoker and be willing to submit to an enhanced CRB disclosure.

When can I volunteer with KLAW?

You can volunteer at any time but we ask that volunteers commit to a minimum of a 3 month placement and are happy to accommodate for up to 9 months. Please mention on your application form how long you wish to stay.

Cost:

We ask all volunteers to make a modest project contribution of �700 for 3 months, �900 for 6 months or �1100 for 9 months. The volunteer is involved in directly spending this money for the charity which will directly benefit the children that we work with. This does not include rent for accommodation which is approximately �120 per month. In addition you will have to pay for your flights, insurance, vaccinations and other in country expenses.

Interested? Contact Maria on 01235 539319 or maria at actionchildren dot org