IMP LEMENTATIO N C AS E ST U DY Bangladeshi NGO Council of Minorities has organized a youth leadership summit since 2011. Sixty young people from affected communities nationwide attend this threeday event, participating in workshops and discussions. The paralegal project uses the summit to identify the most active and dedicated young people as possible paralegals. C AS E ST U DY Haki na Sheria’s paralegals are frequently in demand. To avoid burn out, it has extra paralegals who are always ready to step in. The project maintains close relationships with paralegals who have moved on, and many of them stop by to volunteer when they are free or the project needs them. not be comfortable speaking to men. When issues of gender-based discrimination or violence are connected with issues of documentation or nationality, this is particularly important. If it is difficult to recruit female paralegals, you might organize a women’s discussion group to identify and encourage candidates to become involved. Screening candidates may involve written applications and tests, interviews, review by panel, and holding meetings or trainings to assess motivation and skills in mock situations. It is important to screen according to the qualities and skills that are likely to make a successful, empowering, and impactful paralegal in your context. Evaluating candidates can begin with questions like: •W  hat skills should candidates have? Do they need to be creative? Good at building rapport with officials? •W  hat language(s) do paralegals need to speak and write to communicate with the community or with officials? This might vary depending on the level of officials (e.g. village or national/central) with whom paralegals will interact. Advocacy might require language skills that accompanying clients through their application process does not. In addition to paralegals, it may make sense to have a standby pool of resource persons working with paralegals, such as community volunteers or shadow paralegals who are ready to provide extra support or become paralegals if a position opens up. Paralegals may be chosen to work exclusively on legal identity documentation and nationality issues, or on a variety of issues the organization addresses. Criteria used to select community volunteers and potential paralegals: •C  an read and write, although some positions may require only semiliteracy • Experience or interest in activism on issues of social justice • Able to work in multi-ethnic and diverse environments • Good with people and easy to work with • Good communication and presentation skills • Respected and influential in their community • Law students with demonstrated interest in human rights • Fluent in local and official languages • Knowledge of mediation and negotiation • Experience in community organizing • Willing to ignore political differences • Willing to travel and has own means of transportation • At least a school-leaver’s diploma • Recommended and accepted by the community • Careful when dealing with sensitive topics • Has established contacts within the community • Shows a voluntary and proactive spirit 74 | A C O M M U N I T Y- B A S E D P R A C T I T I O N E R ’ S G U I D E : D O C U M E N T I N G C I T I Z E N S H I P A N D OT H E R F O R M S O F L E G A L I D E N T I T Y