Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women's Legal Centre

About

The purpose of Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women's Legal Centre is to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children in NSW with a genderspecific service sensitive to their culturally diverse needs, and to provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women victim-survivors of violence with access to appropriate legal representation, advocacy, advice, and referral.

The Centre's values are that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women manage the service, be non- profit-making, and pay special attention to the needs of economically and socially disadvantaged Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children.

While ALS is available for Aboriginal people to access, its primary function is to assist Aboriginal people with criminal matters. Therefore, they would often assist the alleged perpetrator/offender of the violence. As a result, the ALS was in direct conflict with many Aboriginal women within the community who needed their own legal assistance. Wirringa Baiya was founded in response.

What kind of work?

Wirringa Baiya focuses on issues relating to violence.

Type of work done by employees: - Legal advice - Court support - Community legal education - Law reform and policy work - Cultural awareness training - Outreach services

Location

Sydney

Student Opportunities

Wirringa Baiya welcomes the interest of legal and nonlegal volunteers, especially female volunteers.

If you are interested in volunteering at the Centre, call us on (02) 9569 3847 or 1800 686 587, or email Wirringa Baiya at wirringa_baiya@clc.net.au

Graduate Opportunities

Wirringa Baiya accepts students completing their Practical Legal Training (PLT) depending on the Centre’s capacity.

PLT students work closely with solicitors on a range of civil, family and care and protection matters. Students are required to request, gather and review evidence, draft submissions, draft letters to clients and other supporting tasks as required. Students may also be asked to assist with community legal education.

Applicants should be aware that some of the Centre's work can be quite confronting and possibly triggering.

Fun Fact / Recent Project

Court support Wirringa Baiya staff regularly attend Court as support people. Going to Court can be an unfamiliar and upsetting experience for anyone. The Centre's role is to provide support and assistance to women attending Court. Staff do this by sitting with clients while they wait for their matter to be called, sit in the Courtroom with clients during their matter and talk to clients after about what happened. Staff can also provide information and referrals and legal advice.