Position: Legal Aid & Court Outreach Intern
Location: Surat (Court, Police Station)
Duration: 4 Weeks (Can be Extended upon Request; subject to approval)
Start Date: Flexible (Rolling Applications)
Eligibility: Law students (LLB, BSW, MSW – 1st year onwards) or law aspirants
Mode: Fulltime and; Hybrid – Remote and Field Work included
Option Available: Part-time
Certificate Tier: Premium Pro

About the Internship

Jivanamasteya Trust is launching a unique legal aid internship designed to equip aspiring law students with practical exposure to the legal aid ecosystem in India. Interns will work closely with the Surat District Court and police stations to observe, research, and support legal aid delivery. The internship will also include creating public awareness materials and helping the NGO prepare a roadmap for official collaboration with the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) and Lok Adalat mechanisms.

Job Description:

To support Jivanamasteya Trust in understanding and engaging with the legal aid system in Surat District Court and surrounding areas. Interns will conduct field visits, research the functioning of legal aid authorities, collect relevant information, and create awareness materials for public outreach—especially for use in police stations and on social media.

As a Community Rights & Field Research Intern at Jivanamasteya NGO, you will assist in conducting field visits to police stations, legal aid centers, and vulnerable community areas. Your role includes gathering observations, assisting with simple surveys, and contributing to the documentation of real-life cases related to women, child, and human rights. Interns will also support awareness campaigns, write field stories for the NGO blog, and participate in legal and social empowerment programs. Basic digital skills and a strong sense of empathy and responsibility are essential.

Internship Objectives

• Understand how legal aid is delivered through courts and police systems
• Assist the NGO in building its own legal aid model
• Create awareness posters, videos, and social content on legal rights
• Gain on-ground experience through court visits and public interaction

Key Responsibilities:

 

1. Legal Aid System Study

• Collect and study information on legal aid mechanisms in India, including:
  • Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987
  • District Legal Services Authorities (DLSA)
  • Taluka Legal Aid Committees
  • Lok Adalat, Nyaya Bandhu, and Para-Legal Volunteers (PLVs)
• Research citizens’ rights and free legal services available for: Women, children, senior citizens, SC/ST, differently-abled, poor, and other marginalized groups
• Summarize key legal remedies, helplines, and authorities.

2. Field Observation & Liaison

• Visit Surat District Court, local police stations, and legal aid centers.
• Interact with: Court staff, DLSA officers, legal aid lawyers, police officials, and PLVs
• Understand real-world implementation, bottlenecks, and areas where NGOs can assist.

3. Awareness Material Creation

• Design posters, reels, and stories for: Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and awareness campaigns
• Prepare printable legal aid posters for: Police stations, NGOs, community centers, public spaces
• Topics may include: right to free legal aid, arrest rights, women’s helpline numbers, etc.

4. Flexible On-Call Support

• Remain available on-call for urgent help with: Court visits, quick interviews, information gathering, and Short content writing or research assignments
• Ideal for interns with flexible schedules.

5. Reporting & Recommendations

• Submit weekly or biweekly reports with: Insights, data collected, challenges observed, and learnings
• Help the NGO draft a proposal or roadmap to: Collaborate officially with DLSA, Lok Adalat, or Surat Court programs.

4 Week Internship Plan

For: Surat District Court – Under Project Karnav | Dear Cherry Kiwi Program
By: Jivanamasteya Trust

Week 1: Foundation & Orientation

Goal: Understand the legal aid framework in India and Surat

Tasks:

• Study the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987
• Understand the roles of NLSA, SLSA, DLSA, TLSC, and Lok Adalat
• Identify categories eligible for free legal aid
• Research citizen rights under the Constitution and BNSS

Outputs:

• Presentation (PPT) titled:
  ➤ “Understanding Legal Aid in India & Surat: Structure, Scope & Gaps”
• Summary table:
  ➤ Who is eligible + What services they can get + From where
• One-pager:
  ➤ Important Articles & Legal Aid Sections

Week 2: Court & Field Observations

Goal: On-ground exposure to Surat District Court & Police Stations

Tasks:

• Visit Surat District Court and locate:
  • Legal aid help desks
  • DLSA office
  • Lok Adalat notice board (if available)
• Visit 1–2 police stations and check for:
  • Legal aid posters or displays
  • Awareness materials (if any)
  • Interaction with vulnerable individuals
• Informally interact with:
  • PLVs, court staff, legal aid advocates, DLSA team

Outputs:

• Field Observation Report (template can be provided)
• Table of existing services vs. visible gaps
• Brief note:
  ➤ “How Court and Police Can Partner Better with NGOs for Legal Aid”

Week 3: Awareness Content & Stakeholder Insights

Goal: Create outreach materials and gather insights from stakeholders

Tasks:

• Design 3–5 poster graphics (Canva) on:
  • Right to legal aid
  • Free legal services
  • How to contact DLSA
  • Lok Adalat process
• Draft 1–2 short video scripts (optional)
• Conduct informal interviews with:
  • PLVs
  • Legal aid advocates
  • 3+ citizens who received or needed legal aid

Outputs:

• Legal Awareness Kit:
  ➤ Posters + Reels/Script files
• Feedback Document:
  ➤ “Voices from the Ground: Insights into Legal Aid Challenges”

Week 4: Proposal Drafting & Final Reporting

Goal: Equip Jivanamasteya to collaborate officially with the Court

Tasks:

• Draft a proposal to submit to DLSA/Court including:
  • Challenges noticed
  • Opportunities for NGO involvement
  • Proposed activities: legal camps, poster drives, intern programs
• Finalize all deliverables and structure them in a folder

📝 Outputs:

• Final Presentation:
  ➤ “Our Legal Aid Readiness – Jivanamasteya Trust”
• Draft Proposal:
  ➤ “Collaborative Legal Aid & Awareness Initiative in Surat Court”
• Final Submission Folder:
  • Week-wise Reports
  • Awareness Content (Posters, Scripts)
  • Proposal Draft
  • Photos (if any)

What You Will Learn

• Legal aid system and mechanisms in real-world settings
• How NGOs and courts can collaborate for access to justice
• Research, communication, and creative advocacy skills
• Practical understanding of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in public service and ors.

Eligibility Criteria

• LLB students (1st year onward) or law aspirants
• Comfortable with Gujarati, Hindi, or English
• Interested in legal aid, public interest law, or justice delivery
• Basic design skills (Canva) or willingness to learn
• Must be flexible and available for field assignments as needed

Deliverables Expected from Interns

• Weekly report submissions
• Posters and awareness content
• Observation logs and interviews
• Proposal and final presentation, and other tasks as provided

Benefits

• Internship Certificate from Jivanamasteya Trust
• Field exposure to court and police systems
• Opportunity to contribute to real-world legal aid reform
• Letter of recommendation for high-performing interns
• For Premium Pro Intern: Professional Recommendation and Other perks, Know Here

How to Apply

Interested candidates can apply by sending the following to info@jivanamasteya.org (or your preferred contact method):

1. Updated CV
2. Short note on why you’re interested
3. Preferred start date

For queries, contact:

📧 jinfo@jivanamasteya.org