Volunteer Poppy has been with us since January 2025. She’s building her legal future with our team at Exeter Crown and County Court. Over her time as a volunteer, she’s learnt so much about the Justice System. She is finding solutions to complex problems.
Growing her legal knowledge
This practical experience has enabled Poppy to grow her legal knowledge. By learning about the justice system at the coalface, she is complimenting her BA in Law at the University of Plymouth.
Personal growth
Poppy picks up:
‘On a personal level, this volunteering has given me so much understanding of others, especially of mental health.
I’ve met new people and learnt many new skills: communication, empathy, openness and compassion. Consequently, volunteering at CASS+ has developed my personal growth.
Now I understand people better and have more understanding and compassion.
Poppy in action at court
People shouldn’t be left to go through court without support and guidance. Court can be very confusing. There should be a support structure at every court in the UK, especially when it comes to filling in forms and understanding the legal process.
Big issues
Day-to-day, the big issues are around money: debt, payday loans, fines and finding work. Also, people are really struggling with their mental health – there just isn’t enough support, especially when it’s linked to drug and alcohol use.
Finding solutions to complex problems
I really enjoy finding solutions to these complicated situations, but we do need more help within the community. People need support before it reaches a crisis at court.
Criminal record
Once someone gets a criminal record, it becomes a vicious circle. With a criminal record, it’s very difficult to find work. As a result, they end up going into a lifestyle. There definitely needs to be more rehabilitation in the community. On top of this, we need more skills-based learning for self-employment. We need centres where people can retrain or work with an employer to get the references and break the stigma.
We all deserve the right to earn a good honest living.
Another chance
People should be given another chance. It would be good if the general public understood about why people end up in court. They are too quick to judge. Ultimately, more should be done to raise awareness of the underlying reasons for crime, especially when it comes to poverty, addiction and mental health. People are lashing out from sheer frustration. I’m not making excuses for crime, but I am explaining about some of the reasons for it.
Concern
I’m so concerned. I’ve heard many people talk about what’s happened to them. And yet, they’ve received so little support for their problems over the years.
Length of cases
One of our clients was expected to wait for his case for over a year. In that time, he had given up drinking. As a result, it was so difficult for him to relive his past in public, in court. He was trying so hard to put the past behind.
The future
I’m in my third year and will graduate very soon. I do so enjoy what I do here at Exeter Law Courts. If possible, I want to work with victims and offenders. I’m excited for the future.’
Huge thank you
We’re so thankful to Poppy for all her volunteering, enabling us to reach out to more people at a very busy city court.
Interested in finding solutions to complex problems?
Thinking of volunteering?
If you are a solution-focussed person and you’re interested in volunteering with CASS+, find out more here.
Or you can, fill in the volunteer application form here.
Or, contact admin@cassplus.org to apply to volunteer inside the courts in Devon and Cornwall.