Rural Community Legal Centres

CHAPTER 4 / COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRES

BARWON COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRE

What is the Barwon Community Legal Service?

Barwon Community Legal Service (BCLS) provides free legal information, advice and casework with an objective to promote the legal rights of the disadvantaged in the BCLS catchment region, as well as contribute to law reforms and structural inequities.

Areas of practice

• Debt and credit matters • Wills • Traffic Offences • Family Law • Criminal Law • Family Violence Intervention

Orders • Centrelink • Child support • Elder Law • Neighbourhood Disputes • Motor vehicle accidents • Victims of Crime • Consumer Law

Requirements

• Strong interpersonal skills • Current police check • Minimum commitment of 6 – 12 months

Applying

When and how: BCLS has up to 30 student volunteers at any given time. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://www. barwoncommunitylegal.org.au/workwith-us/ or email: bcls@barwoncls.org. au.

Contact

W: www.barwoncommunitylegal.org. au E: bcls@barwoncls.org.au P: 1300 430 599 A: Level 1, 63 Thomson Street, Belmont VIC 3216

What tasks will I undertake?

• Solicitor assistance and managing files • Admin Assistant at FV Duty Lawyer

Service • Night Service • Community Legal Education and general administration • FV Project Admin Assistant

CHAPTER 4 / COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRES

GIPPSLAND COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICE

What is the Gippsland Community Legal Service?

Gippsland Community Legal Service (GCLS) is an independent, notfor-profit community legal centre that assists Gippsland community members. Its focus is on empowering disadvantaged groups and low-to-medium income earners.

Areas of practice

• Family law • Intervention orders • Employment Law • Mental health matters • Infringements and debt • Tenancy matters Community Development Volunteers will undertake the following: • Assisting the Community

Development Worker with planning, delivering and evaluating events and education sessions.

Requirements

• Minimum commitment of 1 day per fortnight for 3 months for

Intake/ administration Volunteers and Community Development

Volunteers • Minimum attendance of 10 days over 4 months for Legal Volunteers • Current Police check, and Working with Children check

What tasks will I undertake?

Legal volunteers will undertake the following: • Writing letters to clients, assisting lawyers in research for client matters • Observing the work lawyers undertake • Advice and casework and legal education

Intake/Administration Volunteers will undertake the following: • Administrative tasks such as data entry, taking phone calls and helping with special projects

Applying

When and how: GCLS recruits volunteers throughout the year. Please submit an expression of interest along with your CV and a cover letter indicating which position you are interested to gcls@anglicarevic.org.au.

Contact

W: www.gcls.org.au/ E: gcls@anglicarevic.org.au P: (03) 5135 9550 A: 190 Commercial Road, Morwell VIC 3840

CHAPTER 4 / COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRES

LODDON CAMPASPE COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRE

What is the Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre?

Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre (LCCLC) provides free legal information to Central Victorians who do not have the financial means to address their legal matters. Based in Bendigo, the lawyers provide legal outreach to Echuca and court assistance at Castlemaine, Echuca, Kyneton and Maryborough courts. They also deliver community legal education and promote justice through their law reform program.

Areas of law

• Child custody matters • Complaints about government services • Consumer matters • Criminal matters • Guardianship/administration • Motor vehicle accidents

What tasks will I undertake? Requirements

• Strong interpersonal and problem- solving skills • Strong written and verbal communication skills • Minimum commitment of 12 months

Applying

When and how: LCCLC recruits volunteers when required.

To apply, complete an Expression of interest form located on www.lcclc.org. au/about/volunteers/ along with your CV to volunteeradministrator@lcclc. org.au.

Contact

W: www.lcclc.org.au/ E: volunteeradministrator@lcclc.org.au P: (03) 5445 0909 A: 171 Hargreaves Street, Bendigo VIC 3550

• Students assist volunteer lawyers during Wednesday night services • Assisting with administrative duties • Preparing letters and court documents • Legal research

CHAPTER 4 / COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRES

MALLEE FAMILY CARE COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRE

What is Mallee Family Care Community Legal Centre?

The Mallee Family Care Community Legal Centre (MFCCLC) is a program of Mallee Family Care. The focus of the CLC is to provide advice, information, advocacy and referrals to members of the community, particularly those who are vulnerable. They are a collaborative practice which includes both lawyers and social workers.

Areas of practice /services

• Summary crime • Employment law • Debts and infringements • Discrimination • Civil matters • Family law and family violence • Intervention Order Support Service • Duty lawyer service • Outreach service • Law reform

Requirements

The selection criteria for a volunteer at MFCCLC is the following: • Above the age of 18 • Have studied or are currently studying a Legal degree • Have a passion for justice within a regional community • Ability to demonstrate this passion and commitment • National police check and Working with Children Check

Applying

MFCCLC are always open to applications for volunteers but the appointment of volunteers will be based on the capacity of the CLC to provide sufficient supervision to such volunteers. There is no designated minimum requirement for a volunteers commitment, and each volunteer’s suitability will be determined on the merits of each application.

To apply for a volunteer position, please forward a resume and cover letter outlining skills and experience to Lauren Dinning, Principal Solicitor of MFCCLC, at LDinning@malleefamilycare.com.au.

What tasks will I undertake?

The tasks that a volunteer may undertake are entirely based on the capacity of the program, but are likely to include intake of clients, conducting conflict searches, legal research and attendance at outreach services, as well as assistance with casework.

Contact

W: mfclegalcentre.com.au E: clc@malleefamilycare.com.au P: 1800 243 002 A: 122 Ninth Street, Mildura VIC 3500

CHAPTER 4 / COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRES

PENINSULA COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRE

What is the Peninsula Community Legal Centre?

Peninsula Community Legal Centre (PCLC) is an independent not-for-profit that has been providing free legal services to Melbourne’s south-eastern communities for the past four decades. In addition to its Head Office, it also has branches in Bentleigh East, Cranbourne, Frankston North and Rosebud.

Requirements

• Strong written and verbal communication skills • Strong analytical and problem- solving skills • Priority is given to students in the

PCLC catchment area (Glen Eira,

Frankston, Mornington Peninsula,

Casey and Cardinia) • Minimum commitment of 12 months on the volunteer roster

PCLC’s aim is to empower disadvantaged and vulnerable people within the community by addressing and supporting their legal needs. They are committed to facilitating a fair and inclusive society that promotes and protects human rights and equality before the law.

Areas of law

• Consumer Law • Family Law • Motor vehicle accidents • Neighbourhood disputes • Tenancy matters

What tasks will I undertake? Applying

When: PCLC has volunteer intakes when needed, however places are in high demand (Expected wait time of 12 months).

How: Complete a Volunteer application form available at www.pclc. org.au/get-involved/volunteers/.

Contact Information

W: www.pclc.org.au E: pclc@pclc.org.au P: (03) 9783 3600 A: 441 Nepean Highway, Frankston VIC 3199

• Observing lawyer-client interviews • Conduct preliminary client interviews and provide assistance to volunteer lawyers • Assisting with administrative duties

CHAPTER 5:

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Studying a law degree does not limit you exclusively to the provision of legal advice, preparing briefs, and completing research. Whilst these are invaluable skills in your field of work, you are also able to expand your horizons to impacting on the social justice and equity landscape through other avenues - namely, volunteering.

This chapter outlines a wide range of volunteering opportunities that may not directly relate to your law degree, but will assist you in advancing your legal career, and your understanding of various areas of the law. Volunteering at these various companies invites you to think of the different ways in which you can utilise your degree to drive change in an area of the law that you are passionate about.

Key:

Remote Opportunities available.