Share knowledge and help the most vulnerable
23 November 2020, 12:22
Today, in the #AASuccessStories section, there is a story of law
students from Mariupol who, with the support of the EU UPSHIFT project
and UNICEF Ukraine, provide free legal aid to people who need it, but
cannot pay for it.
#AASuccessStories is a column about Ukrainians, who benefit from the Association Agreement with the EU and enjoy opportunities for cooperation with the European Union.
Inna Mykhaylenko, Roman Shamara and Violetta Dresvyannikova, three law students at Mariupol State University, founded the “Studconsult” legal aid clinic. Their goal is to provide legal assistance to the most vulnerable groups — low-income families, single mothers, the elderly, students and people with disabilities. They managed to implement this project within the UPSHIFT program, with the support of UNICEF Ukraine and the Kharkiv Professional Development Foundation thanks to the financial support of the European Union.
Inna, Roman and Violetta say they dreamed of opening a law office together, but they had no money and no support. For UAH 50,000 grant from the UPSHIFT program, they were able to renovate an office, which they rent at their university, buy furniture and appliances and start working.
“No one wants to hire inexperienced students and trust them important cases, - 20-year-old Violetta says. - We understood that we would have to gain an experience ourselves”.
“Studconsult” Law Clinic has been operating for less than a year, but during this time young people have already been able to help dozens of their clients. In particular, they helped the orphan to receive social benefits for 2.5 years’ period, the pensioner to finally file a lawsuit to get a utility subsidy, the factory worker to get a permit, and the deceived girl to protect her rights. All assistance is provided for free. “Studconsult” works in the following areas: labor, civil, family, housing, pension and social protection law, as well as administrative, constitutional, land and environmental law. Before the COVID-19 pandemic started, consultations took place in the “Studconsult” office at 129 Budivelnykiv av. (Building of the Faculty of History of Mariupol State University). With the introduction of quarantine restrictions, “Studconsult” provides online legal assistance. They give consultations on Instagram @_studconsult_, Facebook and e-mail urclinikamst@gmail.com or by filling out the application form on the website www.studconsult.info.
Due to quarantine, volunteer lawyers had to postpone their plans to work “in the field” — in particular in rural areas on the front line in Eastern Ukraine. Instead, “Studconsult” is developing another important area of assistance — legal education. Inna, Roman and Violetta conduct free lectures for students in 9-11 grades and seminars for law students to share information and gain practical skills in the implementation of human rights.
In addition to online work, “Studconsult” started a series of consultation on the local Mariupol TV channel. They talk about human rights, share useful information that can help even in everyday situations. For example, what rights does a buyer have in a store, what to do if the goods are accidentally broken, how to pay for the stuff, if the price on the tag and at the cashier's base is different, does the security guard have the right to inspect your personal belongings or do you have the right to film if the police stopped you and what to do if your car jumped into a pit and was damaged? And much more interesting and useful information.
The founders of “Studconsult” have big plans for the future. They want to expand the law clinic, invite other law students, and later turn their small startup into a real law company.
The publication is based on materials from the website and the Facebook page.
#AASuccessStories is a column about Ukrainians, who benefit from the Association Agreement with the EU and enjoy opportunities for cooperation with the European Union.
Inna Mykhaylenko, Roman Shamara and Violetta Dresvyannikova, three law students at Mariupol State University, founded the “Studconsult” legal aid clinic. Their goal is to provide legal assistance to the most vulnerable groups — low-income families, single mothers, the elderly, students and people with disabilities. They managed to implement this project within the UPSHIFT program, with the support of UNICEF Ukraine and the Kharkiv Professional Development Foundation thanks to the financial support of the European Union.
Inna, Roman and Violetta say they dreamed of opening a law office together, but they had no money and no support. For UAH 50,000 grant from the UPSHIFT program, they were able to renovate an office, which they rent at their university, buy furniture and appliances and start working.
“No one wants to hire inexperienced students and trust them important cases, - 20-year-old Violetta says. - We understood that we would have to gain an experience ourselves”.
“Studconsult” Law Clinic has been operating for less than a year, but during this time young people have already been able to help dozens of their clients. In particular, they helped the orphan to receive social benefits for 2.5 years’ period, the pensioner to finally file a lawsuit to get a utility subsidy, the factory worker to get a permit, and the deceived girl to protect her rights. All assistance is provided for free. “Studconsult” works in the following areas: labor, civil, family, housing, pension and social protection law, as well as administrative, constitutional, land and environmental law. Before the COVID-19 pandemic started, consultations took place in the “Studconsult” office at 129 Budivelnykiv av. (Building of the Faculty of History of Mariupol State University). With the introduction of quarantine restrictions, “Studconsult” provides online legal assistance. They give consultations on Instagram @_studconsult_, Facebook and e-mail urclinikamst@gmail.com or by filling out the application form on the website www.studconsult.info.
Due to quarantine, volunteer lawyers had to postpone their plans to work “in the field” — in particular in rural areas on the front line in Eastern Ukraine. Instead, “Studconsult” is developing another important area of assistance — legal education. Inna, Roman and Violetta conduct free lectures for students in 9-11 grades and seminars for law students to share information and gain practical skills in the implementation of human rights.
In addition to online work, “Studconsult” started a series of consultation on the local Mariupol TV channel. They talk about human rights, share useful information that can help even in everyday situations. For example, what rights does a buyer have in a store, what to do if the goods are accidentally broken, how to pay for the stuff, if the price on the tag and at the cashier's base is different, does the security guard have the right to inspect your personal belongings or do you have the right to film if the police stopped you and what to do if your car jumped into a pit and was damaged? And much more interesting and useful information.
The founders of “Studconsult” have big plans for the future. They want to expand the law clinic, invite other law students, and later turn their small startup into a real law company.
The publication is based on materials from the website and the Facebook page.