Barwon Community Legal Service

We were thrilled to host such an inspiring day of connection, resources, and support for healthy ageing at our recent Positive Ageing Expo. Over 100 people joined us to celebrate positive ageing, share resources, learn about the most recent dementia research and increase awareness around elder abuse prevention. Catch the highlights in the latest Geelong Times article 👇 👉 https://lnkd.in/grpDyfDg #PositiveAgeing #BarwonCLS #ElderAbusePrevention

BCLS is very pleased with the National Cabinet’s announcement of increased legal assistance funding. We thank Anthony Albanese and Mark Dreyfus for prioritising this critical funding, especially the much-needed increase for #familyviolence services, which impacts over 70% of our clients. We also want to extend our gratitude to our local MPs for their continued support, Christine Couzens, Dan Tehan MP, Libby Coker MP and to the Victorian Attorney-General, Jaclyn Symes. A special acknowledgment to Dr Warren Mundy for his valuable contributions through the National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP) review, supporting the work of community legal centres (CLCs). While we are pleased with the funding announcement, we are still awaiting details on the specific allocations to CLCs and the actual increase in funding. We look forward to hearing more details about the distribution as a matter of urgency. https://lnkd.in/grn_Am-W

It was great to host the Attorney General Jaclyn Symes and Christine Couzens MP yesterday at our office. We talked about the importance of our pre-court engagement program for our clients applying for family violence intervention orders and how we help young people with civil law needs in our region. The Attorney emphasised the importance of consistent funding for our sector and we look forward to continuing these discussions in the future.  

It is with mixed feelings that we received news of the legal services funding commitment made by the Federal Government on Friday. The $3.9 billion that was announced as part of the National Access to Justice Partnership, the main source of financial support for Australia’s community legal sector, represents an $800-million uplift on the previous five-year agreement. However, this "package" is misleading in that it is to be allocated across four distinct types of legal services. All parts of this sector have deep scars from decades of chronic underfunding, and none will be adequately remedied by this band-aid injection. Social security is one area that is in urgent need of individual care. Social security is recognised as a fundamental human right because it acts as a buffer against so many different types of crises, from alleviating poverty and homelessness, to supporting youth justice and social inclusion, to assisting victim-survivors of domestic violence. Everyone has the right to an adequate safety net, and without specialist funding for social security legal services, the sizeable holes in this safety net will remain unpatched. Robodebt and the subsequent Royal Commission should be a wake-up call to Government about how serious the problem is, and how profoundly social security issues can impact individuals and communities. It should also be a wake-up call to the essential social justice role played by social security legal services. If the Government is serious about its duty to listen to the recommendations made by the Robodebt Royal Commission, they should listen to calls for an additional, specialist funding stream for social security legal centres of $5 million per year for the duration of the next funding agreement. You can read our full media release here: https://buff.ly/3MEDzhE Jim Chalmers Mark Dreyfus Katy Gallagher Bill Shorten Amanda Rishworth

Barwon Community Legal Service welcomes the Commonwealth’s commitment to funding legal assistance beyond 1 July 2025. However, only a small fraction of the additional $800 million over five years will reach community legal centres. The Save Community Legal Centres Campaign calls on the Federal Government to save our sector and provide fair pay and conditions, including: → An immediate $35 million injection this year to address the workforce crisis, as recommended by the Independent Review of the NLAP. → An additional $135 million annually in community legal centres funding under the new national agreement to rectify a decade of underfunding. → An extra $95 million per year to meet the rising demand for domestic and family violence legal support. There is still an opportunity to correct the funding shortfall for legal assistance before finalising the next 5-year agreement. Learn more about the crucial need for increased funding from Community Legal Centres Australia’s media release: https://lnkd.in/gDJmMxz7 #SaveCommunityLegalCentres #CommunityLaw #FundFrontlineServices  

Missed one of our training sessions? We've Got You Covered 🌟 Did you miss one of our recent training sessions? No worries! We’ve made recordings and materials from our previous sessions available online so you can catch up at your convenience. Whether you're interested in legal issues like family law, Youth Law, Centrelink, tenancy rights, or other important topics, you can access these valuable resources anytime. Explore the sessions here: https://lnkd.in/g8T4-R5F Stay informed and gain confidence with our comprehensive resources designed to help you navigate the legal landscape as a community worker. #LegalTraining #CommunitySupport #BarwonRegion #LegalEducation

The community legal sector needs your support so more people have access to justice and we can keep doing the crucial work we do everyday.

Join Us in Supporting Access to Justice.  At Barwon Community Legal Service, we're dedicated to ensuring everyone has access to essential legal services. We're proud to be part of the Community Legal Sector and stand alongside countless individuals and organisations in advocating for fair and equitable access to justice. Community Legal Centres like ours play a crucial role in providing legal assistance to those who need it most. From offering guidance on family violence intervention order matters to advocating for the rights of young people, we're committed to making a positive impact in our community. Our sector is in a funding crisis and needs help. Community legal centres play a crucial role in preventing and responding to domestic and family violence. Frontline family law and family violence services make up the largest areas of work for many of the 150 centres across Australia.   🤝 How You Can Help: By raising awareness and advocating for adequate funding to our sector, you contribute to our ability to reach more people in need. Every action counts. Visit https://lnkd.in/gVeMq5C9  to learn more about how you can get involved and make a difference.  #SaveCommunityLegalCentres, #FundFrontlineServices, #CommunityLaw

The Save community legal centres: End the funding crisis campaign launches today. Barwon Community Legal Service is proud to have endorsed the campaign sign-on.  Funding shortages and overwhelming demand are forcing centres across the country to collectively turn away over 1,000 people each day and reduce services to local communities across the country. The crisis will only worsen until the sector secures a guarantee of ongoing funding. Read and endorse here: https://lnkd.in/gVeMq5C9 #SaveCommunityLegalCentres, #FundFrontlineServices, #CommunityLaw 

We are hiring! The Community Lawyer will work as part of an integrated multi-function team working across a number of different practice areas. Applications close Tuesday, August 27. https://lnkd.in/gAWqBcMf