Peran Mahasiswa Magang sebagai Paralegal Edukatif dalam Menjembatani Kesenjangan Akses Bantuan Hukum di Sulawesi Tengah

Abstract

Akses terhadap keadilan merupakan hak dasar warga negara yang diwujudkan melalui layanan bantuan hukum bagi masyarakat kurang mampu. Namun, dalam praktiknya, masyarakat masih menghadapi hambatan administratif dan rendahnya pemahaman terhadap prosedur layanan. Kegiatan pengabdian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan peran mahasiswa magang sebagai paralegal edukatif dalam pengertian terbatas, yaitu sebagai pendamping edukatif-administratif yang membantu masyarakat memahami prosedur bantuan hukum di bawah supervisi aparatur hukum. Kegiatan dilaksanakan di Bagian Bantuan Hukum Biro Hukum Sekretariat Daerah Provinsi Sulawesi Tengah dengan pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif dan metode partisipatif. Program berlangsung selama tiga bulan, dengan observasi aktif selama delapan minggu terhadap 150 pengunjung layanan. Data diperoleh melalui observasi langsung, catatan harian magang, wawancara informal, dan telaah dokumen layanan. Hasil kegiatan menunjukkan bahwa sekitar 70% pengunjung belum memenuhi persyaratan administratif saat kunjungan pertama dan sebagian besar hanya menyampaikan masalah secara lisan. Mahasiswa magang berperan dalam menjelaskan alur layanan, mendampingi pengisian dokumen, menyusun daftar periksa, dan menyederhanakan komunikasi hukum. Pendampingan ini membantu pengunjung melengkapi dokumen pada kunjungan berikutnya, mempercepat pelayanan awal dari sekitar 60 menit menjadi 30 menit, serta meningkatkan pemahaman masyarakat terhadap persyaratan bantuan hukum. 

The Role of Student Interns as Educational Paralegals in Bridging the Gap in Access to Legal Aid in Central Sulawesi

Abstract

Access to justice is a fundamental right that can be realized through legal aid services for disadvantaged communities. However, in practice, many citizens still face administrative barriers and limited understanding of service procedures. This community service activity aims to describe the role of student interns as educational paralegals in a limited sense, namely as educational-administrative assistants who help the public understand legal aid procedures under the supervision of legal officers. The activity was conducted at the Legal Aid Division of the Legal Bureau of the Central Sulawesi Provincial Secretariat using a descriptive qualitative approach and participatory method. The internship program lasted for three months, with eight weeks of active observation involving 150 service visitors. Data were collected through direct observation, internship daily notes, informal interviews, and review of service documents. The results show that approximately 70% of visitors did not meet the administrative requirements during their first visit, and most relied only on verbal explanations of their legal problems. Student interns contributed by explaining service procedures, assisting document completion, preparing document checklists, and simplifying legal communication. This assistance helped visitors complete the required documents on subsequent visits, reduced the initial service time from approximately 60 minutes to 30 minutes, and improved public understanding of legal aid requirements.