The Outreach Project was initially set up as a pilot project in 1997 to extend the services of EMLC to ethnic minority communities residing outwith Glasgow for a period of three years. The success and increased demand for the service led to a successful bid to the Communities Fund and Local Authorities to extend the project for a further three years and increase its geographical remit.

This allowed the Law Centre to extend its services to 10 local authorities and to set up a telephone help line. Again funds ended in March 2003 and we managed to continue to provide our services thanks to some funds carried forward from the Community Fund and funding from the local authorities directly involved in the project. To date the Project operates solely on funding obtained from the local authorities and the level of funding is not sufficient to carry the project to its full compliment.

The Project aims to extend the provision of legal services to ethnic minority communities outwith Glasgow. While fulfilling unmet legal needs, the Project helps to make people in the serviced areas aware of the legal issues which affect them and their connected rights. In essence, therefore, service provision is coupled with education and arising awareness, each, we feel being fundamental to the success of the operation of the other. The volume and composition of our caseload substantiates the extent and range of legal needs in the ethnic minority communities. Many people who attend, or call, merely wish to know their rights. These one-off enquiries are of great assistance to us in establishing a clear picture of clients needs. Clients often require to feel reassured that someone understands and can help.

From this they often find the confidence to act on or pursue something they were maybe unsure of. Many people also have further confidence in speaking to someone who has understanding of their cultural background and access to bilingual staff and interpreters allowing them to converse in their first language. The fact that EMLC is publicly funded, and does not charge clients a fee for the service used, provides a very different and somewhat less regimented atmosphere for clients and service providers alike – the emphasis and importance is on meeting needs and providing reassurance, as opposed to earning fees from each particular case. Clients therefore are certain that whatever is being done on their behalf is for their ultimate benefit. All these factors taken together makes EMLC a very desirable and accessible place to which clients can turn when in need, giving them confidence that they will be assisted with the utmost care and respect.

East Ayrshire                Renfrewshire

East Dunbartonshire     South Ayrshire

East Renfrewshire        West Dunbartonshire

North Ayrshire

 

The Volunteer Project forms a part of the Outreach Project.