Download A2a.Students in professional spaces FINAL

Students in professional
spaces:
impacting on social justice issues
Teri-Lisa Griffiths and Jill Dickinson
Social Justice Week 2016
#SHUsocialjustice
@SHULawCrim
#SHUsocialjustice
www.shu.ac.uk/dlc/helena-kennedy-centre
The central values of the Centre:
- widening access to justice
- promotion of human rights
- ethics in legal practice
- overcoming social injustice
- enabling desistance and recovery
- promoting criminal justice accountability
The Centre has the following goals:
- to impact on policy and provide advocacy
- to innovate in teaching and education
- to produce research and scholarship work
- to support local, national and international projects and events
In context:
the Lawyer in London event
Freshfields
Royal
Courts of
Justice
Funding
Preparatory
event
Selection/
recruitment
But, this is just one example...
Focus
group
#SHUsocialjustice
The backdrop
• Social Mobility and Child Poverty
Commission (2015)
– focus: students' access to 'elite' professions
– correlation between socio-economic backgrounds
and non-educational barriers
• Department for Business, Innovation & Skills
(2015)
– focus: employers' graduate recruitment practices
– lack of willingness from employers to address
socio-economic background when recruiting
candidates
#SHUsocialjustice
Social Justice Week 2016
Literature review
• Lifeplace learning
– "learning that encompasses knowledge, skills,
behaviour and attitude acquired, being acquired
and to be acquired throughout life, irrespective of
when, where, why and how it was, or will be
learned".
Harris (2008, p.1)
– "independent and flexible learning... encourage[s]
development of skilled workers, critical thinkers
and innovative and entrepreneurial movers"
Harris, Chisholm and Allan (2010, p.139)
• Application to Lawyer in London event
#SHUsocialjustice
Social Justice Week 2016
Literature review
• Motivation and environmental impact on student
professional commitment (Ahmad et al. 2012)
• Study supports the idea that student experience of
environment can impact on professional
commitment. Key factors were:
– assessing student motivation at the recruitment stage
– positive learning environment not sufficient if students
are not motivated
– faculties should initiate student involvement through
encouraging learning communities and contact with
professionals
Social Justice Week 2016
Universities' role:
• Development of soft skills e.g.
– self-belief
– motivation
– commitment
– professional networking
– communication
• Facilitating access to professional
environments
Social Justice Week 2016
#SHUsocialjustice
Impact of the event
•
•
•
•
•
Importance of learning spaces
Motivation for achieving career aspirations
Increased confidence
Modelling opportunities
Increased engagement: internal and
external
Social Justice Week 2016
#SHUsocialjustice
References
•
•
•
•
Ahmad, Z., Anantharaman. R.N. & Ismail, H. (2012). Student's Motivation,
Perceived Environment and Professional Commitment: An Application of
Astin's College Impact Model. Accounting Education. 21 (2), pp 187-208.
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. (2015). Understanding
Employers' Graduate Recruitment and Selection Practices: Main Report.
Available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fil
e/474251/BIS-15-464-employer-graduate-recruitment.pdf (Last accessed:
14th March 2016)
Harris, M., Chisholm, C., & Allan, M. (2010). Lifeplace learning for effective
professional development in industry and business. Industry & Higher
Education. 24 (2), pp 135-141.
Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission. (2015). A qualitative
evaluation of non-educational barriers to the elite professions. Available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fil
e/434791/A_qualitative_evaluation_of_noneducational_barriers_to_the_elite_professions.pdf (Last accessed: 14th
March 2016)
Social Justice Week 2016
#SHUsocialjustice
• Teri-Lisa Griffiths
– [email protected]
– @TerilisaCareers
• Jill Dickinson
– [email protected]
– @Jill_Dickinson1
Social Justice Week 2016
#SHUsocialjustice