HRLA – BURSARY AWARD POLICY 2011
. The 2011 scheme will be launching in January/February 2011, so please do check back on this website then to download the 2011 policy and application form. For your information the 2010 Bursary policy is attached below. This will give you an indication of what is required, but you should make sure you refer to the 2011 policy document when applying. You can also access reports from previous bursary recipients from this page. Now is an excellent time to start thinking about where you might want to apply to for a placement, if you are planning on applying for a bursary next year, as you must apply with a specific organisation/placement in mind and the bursary will only be released to you (if successful) on confirmation of that placement from the host organisation
Potential applicants with any queries about their eligibility or about the scheme are advised to read this policy document carefully. If this does not answer the query, the applicant may contact the HRLA via the bursary email address:
INTRODUCTION
The HRLA recognises that those without independent financial backing can sometimes be unable to take up internships, work placements and other either unpaid or poorly paid work in human rights law. They may therefore miss out on these opportunities and this can lead to their being disadvantaged when applying for jobs within the human rights field. To assist people in this position, in 2006 the HRLA established a bursary scheme to assist law students, either those currently studying (either undergraduate degree, postgraduate studies or LPC/BVC/Law Conversion Course) or those who have recently graduated, in undertaking such work.
Each year the HRLA will provide around 5 awards from a maximum annual bursary fund of £6,000, provided there are suitable applicants. A single award will not normally total more than £1,000.
The bursary money is to be used to enable the successful applicants to undertake work related to human rights law that they would otherwise be unable to afford to do. That work need not take place in the United Kingdom, but it must be relevant to human rights law in the United Kingdom.
ELIGIBILITY
A person is eligible to apply if he or she is studying for, or has recently undertaken, a law undergraduate degree, or postgraduate studies in law, the Law Conversion Course, BVC or LPC. “Recently” will be determined on a case by case basis at the discretion of the HRLA, but it is expected that only those who are yet to have secured full time paid employment in the UK, or yet to begin practice in the UK, will be eligible.
The applicant must demonstrate that he or she is committed to finding employment in law, or practising as a lawyer, in the UK in the human rights field in the future.
Purpose of award
The successful applicant will be granted an award to enable him or her to undertake either unfunded or low paid short-term work that is related, in some way, to UK human rights law. This award scheme is designed to assist people who, otherwise, would be unable to undertake work/an internship because they would lack the financial means.
‘Relevant to human rights law in the United Kingdom’
The work/internship does not need to take place within the United Kingdom. What is required is that as a result of carrying out the placement, internship or contract (wherever in the world it is carried out); the applicant can establish (in the application form) a link to promoting and protecting human rights law within the United Kingdom. For example, an applicant might seek funding to assist him or her to undertake an internship at the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in Geneva. The applicant will have to identify why such an internship will be relevant to human rights law in the United Kingdom. During the bursary process, prospective applicants often ask “whether x or y placement would be considered to be relevant to human rights law in the United Kingdom.” There are no set rules as to which placements qualify and which do not – it is for the applicant to demonstrate the relevance as they see it and you will see from reports from previous bursary awardees (available on Reports) that we have funded individuals to undertake a placement abroad.
Evidence of placement/internship
Applicants must provide evidence that they have been given a firm offer of work/an internship and that, subject to funding, they are in a position to take up the offer. If by the deadline the applicant has not yet received confirmation of an offer, he or she needs to show that he or she has applied for a position and then, if successful, the money will only be released when the applicant has provided evidence of a confirmed offer.
Publicity
With their consent, we will publish the names and placements of successful applicants on the HRLA website and may seek to publish this information in other relevant publications – for example, Counsel or the Law Gazette.
Report requirement
On conclusion of the placement, internship or contract the successful applicant will be required to write a short report (1,000 to 2000 words) summarising the work he or she has done. This report must be provided to the HRLA within 6 weeks of the completion of the placement, and may (with the permission of the bursary recipient) be published on the HRLA website.
Validity of award
Awards are only valid for 12 months from the date on which they are offered. No awards will be made retrospectively for internships/placements/contracts which have already been completed.
CRITERIA
The following criteria will be applied when considering each application (in no particular order):
- Relevance and value of internship/placement/contract to be undertaken to human rights law in the United Kingdom;
- Ability of applicant to demonstrate commitment to human rights work in the United Kingdom;
- Suitability of applicant to the internship/placement/contract intended to be undertaken – with regard to background and experience;
- Benefit to applicant’s development as a lawyer and their future United Kingdom based career in human rights by undertaking internship/placement/contract;
- Reasons why the applicant needs the bursary, given that the aim of the scheme is to assist people who, otherwise, would be unable to undertake work/an internship because of their financial situation.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Every applicant must complete an application form; the deadline for receipt of the application form will be midnight on Sunday 2nd May 2010. Successful applicants will be informed by 14th June 2010 with the awards being made soon after.
Application forms can be obtained from our website: www.hrla.org.uk
The application form must be completed fully. It must contain the names of two referees (including email address and telephone number), and must include (by way of an annex/additional item if necessary) evidence of an offer of a placement/internship/contract (or evidence that an application has been made and the decision is pending), and information about the placement/internship/contract the applicant proposes to undertake. The applicant must also state how much funding they are applying for and why they are applying for that amount.
Applications are by way of application form and proof of internship document only. No other supporting materials will be accepted with the application, this includes CVs which will not be considered and will be discarded. The decision as to who receives a bursary will only be made on documents provided, there will be no interviews.
In each annual Bursary round, an individual can only make one application to the scheme relating to one specified placement/internship/contract. Any individual who was unsuccessful in any of the previous bursary round is entitled to re-apply to the scheme. Previous bursary recipients are not entitled to apply for a further bursary in a subsequent year(s).
Communication with applicants will be by email, unless applicants state a preference/need for another method of communication on their application form. Applicants are advised to check their emails regularly after the closing date of the scheme, for updates on their application.
DECISION MAKING
The decision as to which applicants will be awarded a bursary will be made in accordance with the published criteria of the HRLA bursary scheme. In assessing the applications the HRLA will strive to abide by equal opportunities principles.
AMOUNTS AND NUMBER OF AWARDS
Each year the HRLA will provide around 5 awards from a maximum annual bursary fund of £6,000, provided there are suitable applicants. A single award will normally not total more than £1,000.
CONDITIONS OF AWARD
The money will be paid direct to the successful applicants, who will be asked to provide evidence of a firm offer of a placement/internship/contract before the money is released. A written report must be provided to the HRLA at the end of the placement, internship or contract summarising the work they have done. This report must be provided to the HRLA within 6 weeks of the completion of the placement.
Last updated:
January 2010
