Gabrielle is a graduate of two OJEN mock hearing projects delivered in partnership with the Malvern Family Resource Centre.\u00a0 She bubbles with enthusiasm when she talks about her experience.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore I did the OJEN programs, I actually didn\u2019t think much about the justice system,\u201d Gabrielle said. \u201cI learned some things in school, but it can be pretty dry material.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the first justice education session, when she was in the seventh or eighth grade, she was the youngest of the participants. \u00a0As a naturally introverted person, she was a little intimidated and unsure of herself. \u00a0But when an opportunity came up to participate in another, she knew it was something she wanted to do.<\/p>\n
Her second experience was much different. \u00a0Gabrielle really connected with the mock trial scenario, R v Wai<\/em>, a drug possession and trafficking case involving a youth as the accused.\u00a0 She felt strongly that the accused in the case was innocent and that the charges were unfair.\u00a0 She felt so passionately about it that she volunteered to take on the role of defense lawyer.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were told that mock trial scenarios are based on real life cases.\u00a0 I thought, if it was one of my friends who had been arrested, I would want someone to stand up and fight for him.\u201d<\/p>\n Over the six week program, defense lawyers, Crown attorneys and other justice sector professionals met with the participants to explain court procedure and coach them on examining evidence, building a case and questioning witnesses.<\/p>\n \u201cI really got to understand how the whole system comes together,\u201d said Gabrielle. \u201cThe amazing volunteers explained about court etiquette.\u00a0 There is a special way to act in a courtroom, like why everyone stands up when the judge enters the courtroom. If you don\u2019t understand the protocol it can be intimidating.\u201d<\/p>\n Was she nervous presenting her arguments in a courtroom in front of a real judge?<\/p>\n \u201cWell, it was a bit nerve wracking, but I was so passionate about what I was doing, that really helped.\u00a0 I was definitely going outside my comfort zone.\u00a0 I had to step outside of who I was and become a lawyer\u201d<\/p>\n What did Gabrielle learn about herself through this activity?<\/p>\n \u201cOne thing I learned was that I have the ability to speak out.\u00a0 Also, before I did the mock trial, I had all these stereotypes of what a lawyer was like and I thought, \u2018that\u2019s one more career that\u2019s not for me.\u2019\u00a0 Now I\u2019m considering a career in law.\u201d<\/p>\n Although still only in grade 10, Gabrielle has started thinking about what her future might hold.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s very important to make a positive impact in the world,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re fortunate to live in Canada, especially as women.\u00a0 In other parts of the world, some girls don\u2019t go to school and have to marry really early. There\u2019s a lot of racial and gender inequality in the world.\u00a0 I\u2019m thinking I might be interested in human rights law.\u201d<\/p>\n Would she feel more confident now talking to lawyers or other justice professionals in different circumstances?<\/p>\n Gabrielle says she would definitely feel more confident.\u00a0 Last year she got a summer job through the Youth in Policing Initiative with the Toronto Police Services.\u00a0 This, as well as the mock trial experience, gave her a new perspective on the people who work in the justice system.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of youth feel afraid of talking to the police. I\u2019ve had a chance to see a more casual side of law professionals so I see them as people like everyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n How would she encourage other youth to participate in a justice education activity?<\/p>\n \u201cGo for it!\u00a0 What have you got to lose?\u00a0 It\u2019s informative. It will give you a little taste of what a career in the law is like and you may discover strengths you never knew you had.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Gabrielle is a graduate of two OJEN mock hearing projects delivered in partnership with the Malvern Family Resource Centre.\u00a0 She bubbles with enthusiasm when she talks about her experience. \u201cBefore I did the OJEN programs, I actually didn\u2019t think much about the justice system,\u201d Gabrielle said. \u201cI learned some things in school, but it can […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":403,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_eb_attr":"","inline_featured_image":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[55,56,57],"class_list":["post-402","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-from-the-ojen-blog","tag-girls","tag-mock-trials","tag-youth-voices"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/ojen2024.turnbull.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Gabrielle-Justice-of-the-Peace.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"adnan","author_link":"https:\/\/ojen2024.turnbull.co\/en\/author\/adnan"},"yoast_head":"\n