Students gaining practical, client-facing legal experience with Citizens Advice Wigan Borough

Citizens Advice Wigan Borough is hosting three Legal Services T Level students from Wigan and Leigh College. The students gain practical, client-facing legal experience while providing additional capacity for the service. The students have developed their skills and confidence, becoming able to support real casework alongside trained advisers and staff.

Citizens Advice Wigan Borough

A a service that supports people with legal issues including housing, employment, benefits, debt, family and consumer rights, helping clients understand their rights and the options available to them.

The service was able to use and adapt its existing induction, e-learning, training, and supervision arrangements for the students, rather than creating a separate programme around industry placement. Students begin by learning how the service works and observing trained advisers, with experienced supervisors providing regular support and check-ins, as they gradually take on more responsibility.

Before the placement

Before the placement started, Citizens Advice Wigan Borough checked its existing insurance cover and confirmed that young people, including those under 18, were already covered. This meant the students could be accommodated within existing insurance arrangements rather than requiring separate cover.

Georgina Macaulay, Business Development Associate at Citizens Advice Wigan Borough, said:

“The whole process has been really straightforward. The students have fitted in well and engaged with the work from the start. We put the time in initially to train them properly, but we’re now seeing the benefit of that investment and it’s been completely worthwhile.”

The placement began when Wigan and Leigh College approached Citizens Advice Wigan Borough about hosting students. The college supported the set-up by sending student CVs, outlining the course and placement objectives, discussing expectations, and completing a risk assessment. Citizens Advice Wigan Borough then interviewed students to make sure they were suited to the organisation and the nature of the work, and three started together, attending one day a week. 

Wigan and Leigh College have remained in regular contact throughout the placement, monitoring placement hours, checking in with both the students and Citizens Advice Wigan Borough, and providing ongoing support where needed.

During the placement

Students begin by observing trained advisers before gradually taking part in client interactions themselves. They speak directly with clients to understand the specific legal issue and identify the appropriate course of action. This builds directly on the Legal Services T Level curriculum, where students develop skills in legal research, professional conduct, regulation, and other areas of law including employment and social welfare law. This gives them relevant grounding before applying those skills in a real client-facing environment.  On their placements, the students research and interpret relevant legislation and guidance, explain clients’ rights and options, and identify any deadlines or urgent action that may be required. As they develop, students can also support casework by drafting correspondence, making referrals to specialist services, recording case notes and communicating advice back to clients. This gives them direct experience of the same client-facing advice and casework carried out across the Citizens Advice Wigan Borough service.

Student reflections

Ellis Aspinall, Legal Services T Level student at Wigan and Leigh College, reflected on his experience:

“My placement at Citizens Advice has given me valuable hands-on experience and helped me build my confidence speaking to clients. I've progressed from observing advisers to communicating with and supporting clients independently, which has been really rewarding. I've also developed my knowledge of areas like debt, housing, immigration and benefits, and gained practical experience that will help prepare me for a future career in legal services.”

Employer reflections

Because advice work requires judgement, research and accurate case recording, students become more independent over time rather than being expected to contribute fully from day one. Their regular one-day-a-week attendance gives Citizens Advice Wigan Borough a predictable source of additional capacity, while the length of the placement gives supervisors time to train them properly and benefit from that investment as their contribution grows.

Taking three students together has worked well, allowing them to complete their inductions at the same time, learn alongside one another and discuss questions between themselves before going to a supervisor, while each taking ownership of specific tasks and responsibilities. This gives the students useful peer support while also reducing some of the day-to-day management involved in supporting the placement.

Reflecting on the placement, Georgina added:

“Having the T Level students each week makes a noticeable difference to our team. By supporting and advising clients independently, they expand our overall capacity, allowing us to see more clients, and bring a unique viewpoint and fresh feedback to our service. We look forward to continuing to host Legal Services T Level students in the future.”