Race, Religion, Sex and Age Discrimination Project

During term 2 of the 2024/2025 academic year, I had the privilege of volunteering with the Race, Religion, Sex, and Age project with the Central England Law Centre (CELC) as part of the Law School’s Strategic Social Justice Clinic. This has been an incredibly eye-opening experience where we were able to apply the theoretical law by conducting meaningful research on issues related to discrimination.

Our aims were to research and identify trends between laws that impact service providers and the public’s responses to those laws—offering a deep dive into the complex intersection of legal frameworks and lived experiences. We noticed that despite protective legislation for protected characteristics, when it came to accessing goods and services, issues still remained, whether through direct or indirect discrimination.

To ensure all protected characteristics were tackled equally, we split into small groups to each focus on in-depth research. I was allocated to the race group where I engaged with a wide range of legislation and policies, from anti-discrimination statutes to protections around healthcare access, housing, and employment. One of the most striking insights was how differently these laws are implemented and received depending on the demographic they affect.

To take this further, we conducted our own surveys to get a better understanding of the accessibility of reporting services and the magnitude of discrimination from service access in Birmingham and Coventry - the two main locations where CELC’s clinics are based.It was amazing to see how our research could be used to benefit the legal clinics to better support people with protected characteristics through a concluding presentation in front of staff from both the Law School and the CELC.

This project has not only allowed me to actively further my interest in human rights but has taught me different and wholistic approaches to evaluating legislation and its practical impact. It emphasised that for laws to truly be effective, they must not only exist on paper but be supported by informed, inclusive public discourse. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to CELC's mission and to have developed a deeper understanding of the law in practice. I would highly recommend volunteering with the LinC Strategic Social Justice Clinic to anyone with motivations in human rights or looking to be part of a rewarding volunteering experience.