Resource

Since 2023, Asylum Aid has partnered with the Justice Together Initiative to provide free in-depth training for IAA Level 2 advisers who want to deliver casework at IAA Level 2 and 3, particularly in complex asylum, human rights and trafficking cases. We will also assist trainees, managers and organisations to develop processes and procedures to support complex casework in line with the requirements of IAA and the Legal Aid contract.

We are seeking expressions of interest from organisations who want to support their IAA Level 2 advisers to gain confidence and expertise in working in more complex cases as part of our fifth cohort intake.

Compass: The Asylum Aid Advisor Development Programme

Compass has already supported four cohorts of advisers (a total of 20 trainees) between 2023 and 2026, and we are now seeking to recruit our fifth cohort of up to 5 advisors from across England and Wales.

Compass offers in-depth training, shadowing opportunities, intensive legal supervision, clinical supervision, and a peer support network. The programme is delivered through a mix of in person and remote methods, offering a chance for trainees to meet with one another, as well as with members of staff at Asylum Aid.

Our vision is that by working in partnership with organisations across England and Wales we can support the development of a more sustainable advice sector, with a greater capacity to provide complex legal advice and representation, and to develop immigration advice services.

What is being offered?

Each trainee will receive:

• A 3-month intensive training programme in asylum, human rights and trafficking law, practice and procedure. This will include two weeks of in-person training and around 10 remote (online) training sessions, delivered in conjunction with opportunities to shadow experienced immigration and asylum caseworkers at Asylum Aid.
• 3 months of intensive remote supervision including review of all written work and weekly 1:1 supervision meetings with an Asylum Aid Supervisor.
• Ongoing 2nd tier support with an Asylum Aid Supervisor accessible by phone and online to discuss tricky cases for a further 6 months.
• Training on file management procedures and best practice consistent with requirements of the IAA and a Legal Aid contract.
• Access to a network of peers to whom trainees can turn for ongoing support and advice.
• Access to the Refugee Action Frontline Immigration Advice Project online forum to raise queries and share learning with other IAA advisers.

•  Clinical supervision to reduce risks of vicarious trauma and burnout

We are able to contribute to travel and accommodation expenses for in person training, which will take place in two weekly blocks over the three-month period, shadowing, supervision and peer support meetings. The costs of clinical supervision will also be covered for each cohort.

Managers and partner organisations will benefit from:

• In addition to trainee benefits, managers at each organisation will receive capacity-building sessions which will cover training on organisational processes, casework systems and document templates, as well as provide a chance to shape trainee experiences through feedback.
• Assistance with developing processes and procedures consistent with requirements of the IAA and the Legal Aid contract.
• Potential for additional advisers from the organisation to participate in online training sessions.
• As trainees grow in confidence and experience, they will be encouraged and supported to share their learning within their organisations and may bring complex case queries to the Asylum Aid Supervisor on behalf of colleagues.
• Trainees will be supported to work with their organisations to develop quality procedures and processes, in line with the requirements of the IAA and/or the Legal Aid contract, to ensure the quality of advice provision across the organisation.
• Thematic reflections from clinical supervision will be shared with managers to enable organisations to learn about how to support staff and avoid burnout and vicarious trauma.
• Access to training materials and resources for their organisation through the Frontline Immigration Advice Project (FIAP) and those developed specifically for this training programme by Asylum Aid.

Programme feedback to-date

Structure and programme content

“I found the format extremely engaging. Having such a small group with a trainer that was really generous and open. This made it probably the most interactive training I've attended and as such I think really increased my learning. It was super interesting hearing everyone else's experiences and seeing the similarities and differences.” - Cohort 2 participant

“I’ve been to training before where you’re given the theoretical framework, but this was so grounded in practice. We'd have the theory but then there would be a real practical grounding in what that looked like. No question was too small, we were never made to feel silly for asking anything.” - Cohort 1 participant

“The sessions on case management were really very useful. It’s great to see how a specialist like Asylum Aid does things. We’ve evolved organically here, and so seeing how an organised and centralised case management system works has been great - we don’t have that at the moment. We are talking internally now about introducing that.” - Cohort 3 participant

“The trainers were amazing, so passionate and knowledgeable. Each and every one were really inspiring, and it was great to see their passion for the work. The size of the group worked really well . Being a small group allowed for much more in depth discussion, where a lot of the really great learning took place. The other participants in the group were fabulous, and we all got on well, which was a real bonus and helped the group relax and discussions to flow.” Cohort 4 participant

“I always say that attending training only doesn’t make you a good caseworker, but  I have found the supervision element the unique selling point of this. The supervision is really really special. Having that has been great.”- Cohort 3 Manager

What trainees have gained

“100% this is worth the investment of time. It’s changed everything for me as an adviser. I’d encourage anybody to do it who needs more confidence.” - Cohort 1 participant

“I feel that this has been a pivotal moment in my career. It’s been a total game changer – it's given me confidence, it’s given me a network, I feel like I’m part of something. And obviously it’s been demanding but the flexibility shown and the support we’ve had from everybody has allowed it, and made it so worth it.” - Cohort 1 participant

“I keep going back to the slides from the training  - I thought I knew a lot, but in some cases I found I didn’t. The training has given me much more confidence and I’ve discovered a range of new angles into cases.” - Cohort 3 participant

“I was concerned before I attended that I would not have the knowledge of the others there and worried I would not speak up but the opposite happened. It has given me confidence in my own knowledge and experience. I do feel that my skills on letter writing and statement taking will hugely improve following the training following this week alone. I was never given training on it and learned as I went along and it has been invaluable to be given structure and direction on those things.” Cohort 4 participant

When will the programme happen?

We expect Cohort 5 to commence in-person training from February/March 2027, with the subsequent training, shadowing and supervision continuing for 6 months until around September 2027. Second-tier support and clinical supervision will be accessible for 12 months from the start of the programme.

Who is this programme for?

1. 2. that meet the following criteria:

• • Not-for-profit
  • IAA registered, providing legal advice in areas where there is limited specialist provision at IAA Level 2 and above (‘advice deserts’)
  • Organisations will need to demonstrate a strategy for funding client disbursements for complex casework. [Many complex cases need professional interpreters, expert country reports medico-legal reports and other reports that are generally prohibitively expensive without a Legal Aid contract. In order to maximise the impact of the programme priority will be given to organisations that hold or are taking steps to obtain a Legal Aid Contract]
  • Migrant- and community-led organisations which are either Justice Together Initiative Grant Partners, members of FIAP, or are willing to join FIAP
  • Advisers who have obtained IAA Level 2 qualification but want to grow their confidence and expertise to deliver advice at Level 2 and above, especially in more complex asylum, human rights and trafficking cases

Commitment

Trainees will need to commit to:

• Fully participate in two 1-week blocks of in-person training, with 4-5 hours of training per day
• Fully participate in remote training and shadowing sessions delivered 1-2 times per week over a 3-month period. This includes engaging with online training, preparing for each shadowing opportunity and discussing with the supervisor afterwards
• Attending all 1:1 supervision sessions, peer support network meetings and clinical supervision
• Sharing their learning and experience, as well as training materials and other resources, with colleagues in their organisation

• Actively participating in the FIAP online forum
• Helping their organisation to develop good practice procedures
• Work with us and our learning partner to evaluate and learn from the Programme

Managers should be able to commit to:

• Attending capacity-building sessions, covering training on organisational processes, casework systems and document templates
• Working with Asylum Aid and our learning partner to provide feedback to help shape trainee experiences and programme evaluation

Organisations need to be able to commit to:

• Allowing trainees the time and space to participate in the training, shadowing and supervision programmes, including making arrangements to ensure any ongoing casework can be covered during the training and shadowing periods
• Joining and working with FIAP
• Working with the trainee to develop good practice procedures

How to apply

Please send an Expression of Interest of no more than 2 A4 pages telling us about your organisation, the communities you work with and the proposed trainee’s reasons for wanting to participate in the programme, and a copy of their CV. X

You should also address the following criteria against which your application will be scored:

Essential criteria:

• Not-for-profit organisation registered at IAA Level 2 or above by the time that the training starts, and able to demonstrate a strategy for funding client disbursements for complex casework (priority will be given to organisations that hold or are taking steps to obtain a Legal Aid Contract)
• Trainees must be registered at IAA Level 2 or above by the time that the programme starts
• Based in any region of England or Wales

Other criteria:

We will use the following criteria to assess your application. You do not have to score highly on every point, but we will use this to prioritise applications:

• Organisational and trainee commitment to ensuring that trainee can commit time and energy to the training programme, and to embedding the good practice and learning from the programme across the advice provision within the organisation
• Organisation led and/or informed by people with lived experience of the UK immigration system and/or community-led
• Based and working in an area where there is limited free specialist immigration advice provision, particularly in relation to asylum, human rights and trafficking work (‘advice deserts’)
• Commitment to developing provision of end-to-end casework and representation for people making asylum, human rights and/or trafficking claims.

The Expression of Interest must be supported by the Chief Executive Officer or equivalent position at your organisation. They must confirm that the proposed trainee is employed by the organisation and that they will be given the time to attend the training and shadowing and other elements of the programme.

Expressions of interest should be submitted by Monday 2nd November 2026 via email to Michael White Head of Compass Programme (morgen.ardouin@asylumaid.org.uk).

Interviews with prospective trainees and a manager from the organisation are expected to be held online between Monday 16th November 2026 and Tuesday 1st December 2026.

Selected trainees/organisations will be notified of the offer to participate in the programme by 8th December 2026.