60 second interviews
People from many different backgrounds are involved with PLE. 60 second interviews are an opportunity for people to give their own personal perspectives of their work, including top tips for success. Some our top tips:
'Have fun ! This may sound obvious, but it has been key to invigorating PLE programmes and to creating programmes that make sense to people who are afraid of the justice system.'
Sarah McCoubrey, Executive Director of Ontario Justice Education Network
'As with anything else, make it interesting. Engage people on different levels, mentally, physically, emotionally. We so readily fall into the trap of thinking that if there is information to impart and discussions to be had, everyone needs to sit down and do it in a very static environment and serious manner. Not true. I believe the best learning takes place when someone is properly engaged and having fun, once engaged, real learning with longevity can take place.'
Karen Kirkwood, Artistic Director Theatre ADAD
60 second interviews
60 second interview with Professor Kim Economides
Professor Kim Economides heads a research centre at Otago University in New Zealand after a distinguished academic career in the UK promoting access to justice. Kim stresses the importance of law-related education in schools and universities. Early awareness of the law and legal rights provides the foundation for successful public legal education. Find out more...
60 second interview with Michael Smyth CBE
A unique opportunity to discover more about Law for Life's first chairman. Michael believes PLE speaks to all of us. ‘The world isn't likely to become less complex any time soon and it is vital that all our fellow citizens have every reasonable prospect of acquiring sufficient knowledge to enable them to engage confidently with the legal issues that are a feature of all our lives.’ Find out more...
60 second interview with Sarah Dougherty
Sarah is web content manager for Éducaloi in Canada who produce a range of videos for the public. Low levels of literacy, the complexity of legal issues and remaining neutral are just some of their challenges. Top tips include being creative, catering to different learning styles, and using humour to keep audiences interested. Find out more...
60 second interview with Tony Thorpe
Tony is freelance project officer for the Citizenship Foundation and has written many citizenship education materials. Here, Tony talks about how citizenship education and law-related education in particular improves levels of skills and knowledge. Find out more...
60 second interview with Clare Shirtcliff
Clare is the PLE co-ordinator for ASA’s Advicenow ‘Progress towards equality: reaching out to communities’ project. The project has enabled Clare to support eleven advice agencies who have undertaken innovative PLE equalities activities in England and Scotland. Find out more ...
60 second interview with Paul Nguyen
Paul Nguyen is the founder of Jane-Finch.com, a website dedicated to supporting and promoting the community living in the Jane-Finch area of Toronto. In 2010 he jointly produced a video 'Know Your Rights' to inform young people about the dealing with the police. Find out more...
60 second interview with Myles Kunzli
Myles has been development consultant with Law Centres Federation. He previously managed a Law Centre in Australia and was a PLE coordinator. He describes the interpersonal skills needed to solve or prevent problems and how PLE is an important tool in civic participation and political engagement. Find out more...
60 second interview with Lord Bach
Lord Bach became Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Justice in October 2008 and was chair of the Ministry of Justice's PLE strategy group. In this interview Lord Bach says that in order to achieve the most from our civil legal aid we need to ensure that citizens are enabled and empowered to take control of their legal problems - that is why PLE is so important. Find out more...
60 second interview with Sarah McCoubrey
Sarah McCoubrey, Executive Director of Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN) uses her legal skills, together with her experience in the community to deliver justice education programmes, such as mock hearings with young people. Find out more...
60 second interview with Atul Sharda
Atul Sharda helped form the PLEAS Task Force and led the development of PLE at the Ministry of Justice. Atul believes that for PLE to be successful we need to work collectively - to learn from others, use that knowledge to grow, and be prepared to pass on the seeds for others to nurture and sustain. Find out more...
60 second interview with George Arkless
George Arkless is chair of an inner London residents' tenant management organisation and trains volunteers to serve on the TMO board. He says that public legal education empowers 'normal' people to exercise their rights and make decisions at a local level. Find out more...
60 seconds with Karen Kirkwood
Karen Kirkwood is artistic director of Theatre ADAD which uses interactive drama to engage young people at risk or excluded from mainstream education to promote personal and social responsibility and citizenship. Find out more...
Dragica Felja is the Mentoring Project Worker at the Roma Support Group, a community organisation working with East European Roma refugees and migrants in London. Her role is to support and mentor Roma children and youth. Find out more...
60 seconds with Richard Grimes
Richard Grimes is an independent consultant with Talking Law, working on a variety of capacity-building projects. He has published widely on clinical legal education and in the legal skills field. Find out more...
Richard Leong is a discrimination lawyer at the London Discrimination Unit, Lambeth Law Centre. Find out more...
