Young Citizens today joined with organisations from the public, voluntary and private sector to launch a ten year vision for Public Legal Education.
In a joint collaboration, the organisations have signed up to a long-term strategy to produce a step change in public understanding of their rights and responsibilities under the law. This includes them understanding when they are facing a legal problem, having a broad grasp of the types of legal issues involved, and knowing where and how to seek help.
The Vision document which was launched at the House of Commons this morning has seven goals, including improving the body of research about what types of Public Legal Education are most effective in different circumstances, prioritising the reaching of children, young adults and vulnerable groups, and embedding PLE into public services and government departments.
The CEO of Young Citizens, Tom Franklin, who spoke at the launch today, said,
“Trust between individuals and the state, and individuals and institutions, has ebbed away in recent years – to levels that are dangerous to our democratic society. Giving people an understanding of the rule of law, their rights and responsibilities, and how laws are made or changed, is an essential part in restoring that trust. That is one of the reasons why all young people should be taught legal education in school, as part of their citizenship education. I welcome the initiative of Robert Buckland MP, the Solicitor General, in bringing together this spectrum of organisations to work together on public legal education.”
You can download a copy of the Vision document here