Project Proposal 2017

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TABLE OFCONTENT

Executive Summary

Mission & Beneficiaries

Process of Implementation

Project Outcomes & Sustainability

Contact

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“Pro bono publico” is a Latin phrase meaning “for the public good”, and it carries a specific connotation in the legal profession. Within this context, it implies free-of-charge or low-cost legal assistance. Throughout the devel-oped countries, this type of service is very common and highly encouraged. Here in Vietnam, however, the concept of “pro bono” in Vietnam is still uncommon. Furthermore, legal services are generally in-accessible for disadvantaged populations, though there exist some legal assistance centers providing this type of service. More importantly, adding to this circumstance are multiple instances of unfairness faced by these populations that require the use of law to ensure protection of basic rights. Thus, we realize the need for quality and free-of-charge legal assistance of these groups. On the other hand, through in-depth surveys and observations, we see that law students in Vietnam have the passion and capacity to legally assist these populations who fre-quently suffer from social injustice, yet they lack the opportunities to do so.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Together we recognize this vacuum be-tween the two constituents - those who need legal assistance and those who can provide it but do not yet know how, and Viet Youth Pro Bono (VYPB) was founded. VYPB structures its approach through two core aspects: Student Training and Legal Education & Assistance. Participant law students will undergo training on important concepts of political philosophy, core com-petencies in delivering legal assistance, and professional ethics and conducts. This Stu-dent Training Curriculum is to ensure law students have the knowledge required to carry out the work, and to encourage new perspectives and inquiries into social jus-tice. Then, the students will assist VYPB’s partnered lawyers on delivering the service using our legal assistance process.

Looking further ahead, we hope to height-en the understanding of social justice, re-sponsibility and political efficacy among our beneficiaries and to help build a more just Vietnamese society where where the legal system can protect the marginalized and their basic rights

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MISSION & BENEFICIARIESOur mission is to create a network between law students and lawyers willing to provide free-of-charge legal ser-vices to the disadvan-taged; encourage them to raise their voices and fight for social justice, and help provide the disadvantaged access to laws and regulations that protect their legiti-mate rights.

30 DIRECT BENEFICIARIES AS RECIPIENTS OF LEGAL ASSISTANCE tentatively through access provided by our partners Oxfam Vietnam and Center for Studies and Applied Sciences In Gender - Family - Women and Adoles-cents (CSAGA), as well as 300 indirect beneficiaries for Community Legal Education

Receive free-of-charge, proper and quality legal assistance;

Understand their basic rights and recognize when such rights are violated;

Understand basic laws protecting their rights and where to find legal assistance;

Know how to demand justice for themselves and their community.

30 LAW STUDENTS IN HANOI to be recruited starting 02/2017

Be able to assist lawyers in providing legal assistance;

Improve on understanding of technical knowledge and practical applications;

Improve on understanding of and able to to initiate discussions on social justice;

Be able to recognize shortcomings of existing, relevant laws and know how to make appropriate policyrecommendations;

Recognize the role of young adults in facilitating changes.

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PROCESS OFIMPLEMENTATION

PRE-PROJECT(10 - 11/2016)

Need Assessment;Resource Mobilization.

PROJECT(01 - 08/2017)

Network Establishment & Development;

Trainings & Talks;Legal Service Delivery.

POST-PROJECT(09 - 10/2017)

Project Evaluation;Policy Recommendations.

PRE-PROJECT

Need Assessment

NEEDS ASSESSMENT & RESOURCE MOBILIZATION09 - 12/2016

Surveys on law students about their knowledge of injustice faced by the disadvantaged, and their interest in provide legal assistance for this demographic;

Surveys on disadvantaged groups about their need for legal services to identify the scope of the project;

Research on existing legal services available to disadvantaged groups, evaluate the effectiveness of these services for determination of the project’s model.

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DURING PROJECT

Network oflawyers

Network of law students

Foundational Political

Philosophy

Core Competencies

NETWORK ESTABLISHMENT & DEVELOPMENT 01/2017 onward

Initiate partnerships with qualified lawyers willing to provide free-of-charge legal services.

Recruit participant law students willing to do public services and assist lawyers in providing free-of-charge legal services.

TRAINING & PREPARATION 03-05/2017

Train students on core political philosophy concepts including hu-man rights, power, justice and civil liberties; invite professionals working at NGOs and other fields to teach and share stories with law students.

Basic interview and intake skills; preparation of law materials; spe-cific laws relevant to assisting the disadvantaged while placing an emphasis on case study, and analysis and problem solving skills.

Recruit project core team as follows:

- Research & Development: develop training curriculum and legal service delivery process based on need assessment results;

- Partnership: establish legal sponsorship, connections with communities in need, lawyers, social activists, policy experts; seek financial supports;

- PR & Marketing: manage publicity, marketing and recruiting campaigns;

- Finance: seek grants and manage budget.

Resource Mobilization

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Knowledge on biases and working with people in crisis or/with trauma.

LEGAL SERVICE DELIVERY 06-08/2017

Meetings with partner organizations for research on context and background of clients;

Students assist lawyers in conducting interviews, researching legal documents, analyzing cases and delivering legal assistance through Sharing Circle.

Legal Education for the target group and community is carried out through three tentative models: legal workshops, forum and camp.

POST-PROJECT

Project Evaluation

Policy Recommenda-

tions

POST-PROJECT EVALUATION & POLICY RECOMMENDATION 09 - 10/2017

Conduct surveys of the beneficiaries on their level of satisfaction and general awareness of human rights;

Follow up with cases in need of long-term legal assistance.

Identify gaps between existing policies and needs of disadvantaged populations;

Propose recommendations on policy and law amendments and forward these documents to appropriate government agencies and organizations.

LegalAssistance

Community Legal Education

Ethics & Professional

Conducts

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PROJECT OUTCOMES & SUSTAINABILITY

OUTCOMES FOR VYPB 2017

20 core team members committed to establishing VYPB as a youth-led organization after the 2017 pilot project

30 law student participants to receive training programs and serve in-need disadvantaged groups

30 direct recipients of Legal Assistance

300 recipients of Community Legal Education

5000+ people to engage in social media discussions

SUSTAINABILITY POST-2017

Solidify legal identity

Establish long-term organizational model of VYPB and key personnel

Obtain independent budget for opera-tional expenses in the next year 2018

Expand partnerships with other disadvantaged communities besides women in Hanoi

Provide legal consultancy to stu-dent-run clubs, associations and NGOs

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CONTACT

DO THU VANFounder & President

VIET YOUTH PRO BONO PROJECTE-mail: vietyouth.probono@gmail.com

Phone: 0168 6310 397