Emelia Conner

The prisons project, led by student Emelia Conner, aims to offer people with convictions an easier transition back into their community.

James Anderson, co-director of the law clinic, told Scottish Legal News: “Since the pilot in 2010, the prisons project has grown steadily with students attending HMP Low Moss on a weekly basis to provide presentations as part of the Induction Course for new prisoners. These presentations focus primarily on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and advice on how to re-enter employment.”

In the upcoming session, alongside weekly presentations, the prisons project aims to provide information to prisoners regarding any legal changes made to rehabilitation, as it remains an ongoing topic in Parliament.

He added: “To win this year’s Community Project of the Year is an extremely gratifying reward for all the hard work by project coordinator Emelia Conner and the volunteer student team.

“This last year has seen amazing progress with student volunteers providing presentations to over 200 prisoners since September 2019. I have no doubt that next year will be even better as the project looks to expand the volunteer student team and develop new presentation resources.”

Ms Conner said: “I am so grateful that the hard work of the Law Clinic prison project has been recognised as it is not an easy task going into a prison and delivering presentations.

“I tell all the project workers, if you can present to a group of rowdy prisoners, presenting in a future workplace will be easy. I’m looking forward to developing the project even further over the coming year and we will continue to work closely with the prison staff to achieve more success.”