The Honorable Justice Anne Molloy of the Superior Court of Justice meets with high school student.
OJEN turned 15 this year!
Since 2002, our programs and resources have impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people throughout Ontario. And we’re just getting started! Looking ahead to 2018 and beyond we’re excited about opportunities to expand our justice education initiatives to new youth audiences. We know that providing young people with the legal life skills to navigate their world is one important factor contributing to greater access to justice.
Between now and the end of 2017, we’ll be posting 15 of our most significant achievements – reasons we think you’ll want to give us an extra-special year-end present!
Donate $15 or $150 …or more! Read all 15 reasons why your donation to OJEN will make a difference.
Reason #6
OJEN offers meaningful volunteer experiences for legal professionals.
“As a trial judge, my interactions with young people tend to only arise when they are victims of, or witnesses to, some horrific offence, or are charged with such an offence. It is for that reason that my work with OJEN plays such an important role in my judicial life. It is an extraordinary treat for me to talk to and exchange ideas with young people as they explore the meaning of justice and think about what is involved in the justice system. Interactions such as these have been some of the most memorable and most rewarding of all my work as a judge, not to mention the most fun.”
Justice Anne Molloy, Superior Court of Justice
Over the past 15 years, thousands of volunteers have dedicated their time and expertise to help OJEN deliver justice education projects throughout the province. Over 200,000 children, youth, teachers and youth workers every year benefit from their efforts.
Judges, lawyers, justices of the peace, clerks, court staff, paralegals and law students contribute thousands of pro bono hours to:
- coach mock trial teams for a local tournament,
- share information about the justice system with vulnerable or marginalized youth ,
- develop plain language classroom resources for high school teachers,
- plan local justice education initiatives on an OJEN committee…among other activities.
We are extremely grateful for the generosity of our amazing volunteers in every region of the province!
Frequently, legal professionals let us know that they too benefit from their volunteer experiences. For some, the opportunity to meet youth and their adult allies outside the courtroom gives them fresh insight into the communities they encounter. The new perspective they gain informs their work. Others tell us that spending time around the energy and enthusiasm of youth can be the perfect antidote to a challenging day!
To find out more about volunteering with us, subscribe to our newsletter. Click here to donate to our 15th Birthday Campaign.