Abstract

The third sector is a patchwork service, providing advocacy, support and overall impact through unprecedented times. From COVID-19 to the cost-of-living crisis, organisations continue to work through socio-economic hardship and unknown challenges. Lack of statutory provision and funding overall impacts the person accessing the service. In turn this has impacted the capacity and option for people to volunteer, leading to further shortages in support and staffing (Bath, 2019). Inequities exist in relation to education attainment as well as opportunities and employment prospects for students in working class areas. Research also indicates a dependency on middle class citizens in volunteering roles with “civic participation” arguably intensifying socio-economic inequalities and participation shortages (Eliasoph, 2013 in Dean, 2015). With the cost of living already impacting working class areas, students arguably are at risk of becoming the ‘forgotten group in the cost-of-living crisis’ as they continue to be impacted by economical detriments whilst juggling a higher education degree and working to develop practice experience (House of Commons, 2022). There is little research which explores the inclusion, socio-economic implications nor the journey of working-class students in relation to volunteering, upskilling and overall community impact.
This paper is interested in the physical and embodied social structures which impact a student’s opportunity and choice to develop and progress. In relation to how the NLAAS Scheme does not face issues in relation to staffing, volunteer capacity or interest. This paper is also interested in how student volunteers socially orientate themselves within practice and in particular the criminal justice system, as they consciously/unconsciously construct strategies and capital within spaces which they were unable to access without practice knowledge (Bourdieu, 2010).
The Northumbria Local Appropriate Adult Scheme (NLAAS) is one of the first of its kind and enables students to train and volunteers appropriate adults during their studies. Students are trained in conjunction with national standards, working reactively and efficiently within the criminal justice system to offer 24/7 coverage to the allocated custody suites (Peacock and Cosgrove, 2017). NLAAS provides coverage across areas in Tyne and Wear and is situated within a working-class area which impacts both students and service users of the scheme. Despite this, NLAAS continues to operate and has grown in team size and impact, scarcely impacted by staffing issues in comparison to surrounding schemes. A qualitative design will be employed with a two-part approach to firstly explore themes around volunteering, socio-economic impacts, and overall interest in volunteering. Secondly, existing, and past AAs will be interviewed to explore how gaining capital and practice understanding has impacted students in their journey to become a practitioner.