Mosaic’s Legal Ambassadors programme has come to a close for this academic year, and what a year it has been. The programme increases confidence in university students who are pursuing a successful legal career. But it’s about so much more than confidence building; the programme enhances students oral and written abilities and ultimately their long term-employability.
As well as being effective, Mosaic’s Legal Ambassadors programme is also unique. It is a highly structured scheme that provides general mentoring and support and it delivers three key workshops and work experience to the most improved students. The programme is particularly relevant in that it specifically targets undergraduate students who are or are about to embark on training contract applications.
Programme sessions focus on CV preparation and structure, the importance of vacation placements and making targeted applications to law firms. There are also sessions to discuss interview techniques: preparing for interviews, types of interview questions to expect and other potential tasks they can expect as part of the interview process.
The programme also encourages undergraduates to pursue volunteering opportunities for both personal satisfaction and soft skill development; the Mosaic programme is bedded in reality and recognises the fact that employers look favourably on candidates with a strong track record of volunteering.
Amir Ali is an Associate at Edwin Coe LLP and a mentor, who worked with the legal students participating in this year’s programme. Amir commented: “It has been satisfying to see the students grow in confidence in their written ability and how they carry themselves. This was made clear in the students marked improvements to their CVs and confidence in their ability answering questions to a Partner and Associate during their mock interviews.”
When asked what the students could expect to take away from the programme, Associate at Edwin Coe, Zahira Hussain answered: “Heightened levels of confidence. A more informed idea of how to make themselves attractive to employers. Better knowledge of how to prepare their CV as well as how to conduct themselves in interviews.”
The selection process for the programme is rigorous, CVs are submitted to Mosaic; candidates – usually in the first or second year of their degree – are then chosen on the basis of their potential, which can be in the form of achievement of a particular award, strong grades or range of work experience.
Yaman Birawi, an alumni of the Legal Ambassadors programme, and mentee on the Mosaic Secondary Group Programme has written about his experience of Mosaic:
“Trying to remember where I was in high school and looking at where I am now, one of the only things I can see with a certain degree of clarity is how much of an impact Mosaic has had on my life.”
Read Yaman’s full account of his journey with Mosaic.
The seeds of Mosaic were sown a few years before the official launch in 2007, when I was amongst several people invited to listen to an idea. HRH The Prince of Wales wanted to find a way of getting young British Muslims, often living in disadvantaged areas, to fulfil their...