(YBC), which represents barristers in all areas of practice who are in their first seven years at the Bar. The YBC promotes and supports the interests of young barristers by attending meetings and providing the perspective of the Young Bar, putting on or assisting with events that often feature young barristers and through the recently launched Inside Guide to Life at the Bar. Beyond the YBC’s activities, the Bar Council also operates the confidential Pupils’ Helpline to support pupil barristers during the final step on their journey to the Bar. Providing vital support to barristers on managing their wellbeing or dealing with mental health has been a major aspect of the Bar Council’s work in recent years. That extends to pupils and students facing challenges on their career journey to the Bar. The Wellbeing at the Bar initiative and website, which is run by the Bar Council and backed by other organisations, now provides useful guides and resources for students. The Wellbeing at the Bar programme is designed to support barristers at all stages in their careers. Career development The Bar Council offers a wide range of training courses to support barristers throughout their careers, as well as mentoring services for barristers, such as for those seeking to become silks (Queen’s Counsel) and those returning to work following a break for parental leave. The Bar Council also runs a variety of events and conferences to encourage continuing professional development throughout a barrister’s career, such as the Annual Bar and Young Bar Conference in November. A regular Bar Council training and events newsletter is sent to all barristers every month to enable the profession to keep abreast of new training opportunities.
a first-hand taste of what it means to be a barrister. This year, it will deliver a hybrid online and in-person version of the scheme, to ensure that it continues to deliver outreach initiatives despite the challenges thrown up by the pandemic. In 2018, the Bar Council launched the ‘I am the Bar’ social mobility campaign aimed at showing anyone considering entering the profession that people from all walks of life can make it at the Bar. Social mobility advocates – barristers from non-traditional backgrounds – have shared their often- difficult journeys to becoming barristers. The aim of the campaign is to inspire people of all backgrounds to consider a career at the Bar. The Bar Council is also the principal sponsor of the annual Young Citizens Bar Mock Trials competition. In its 28-year history, the competition has given more than 50,000 state-educated students the opportunity to take part in mock trials held in real criminal courts and gain valuable coaching from barristers and judges. As well as attending law fairs at universities with a high proportion of students from non- traditional backgrounds, the Bar Council runs the Pupillage Fair. This recruitment event is the only one run by the Bar and is the largest in the country, with approximately 80 chambers and organisations attending virtually in 2020. The Bar Council is planning to deliver another virtual event in October 2021. The Bar Council also runs the Bar e-mentoring scheme, which pairs barristers with students who meet social mobility criteria and who are interested in joining the Bar. Starting out Students, pupils and junior barristers will be particularly interested in the work of the Bar Council’s Young Barristers’ Committee
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