Year 12 students at Jersey’s Hautlieu School have stepped out of the classroom and into the courtroom to learn more about the Jersey Data Protection Law via a privacy trial ‘court case’.
The team at the Jersey Office of the Information Commissioner (JOIC), working in partnership with Advocate Davida Blackmore, collaborated with Hautlieu School to create a case based on a breach of personal data to give the students the opportunity to delve into certain aspects of the law, whilst developing life skills and personal values.
The students involved were studying Law, Finance and technology-related industries such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Media and Journalism. Stuart McSherry, Teacher in charge of Geography and the Core Programme at Hautlieu School, said: “The session gave the students the opportunity to network with industry, work with a lawyer and data protection professionals from the JOIC team, equipping them with the decision-making tools to make a judgement when it comes to privacy and personal information, whilst bringing privacy and the law to life.”
He added: “Working with transferrable skills and peers in developing high-level communication skills under pressure is useful for many varying careers. The session gave the students invaluable extracurricular experience for their UCAS applications, CVs, references, interviews and bringing law to life.”
The JOIC team and Advocate Blackmore worked with the students to set a cast list and provide witness statements in preparation for the mock trial. JOIC Communications and Operations Manager Anne King, said: “We want to increase the respect amongst young people for their personal information and create a team of young privacy ambassadors ready to be curious, questioning, empowered and confident. It was a pleasure to visit the students at Hautlieu and our team would be very happy to repeat the session at other Island schools.”
