- Published:
- Tuesday 3 February 2026 at 9:00 am
Yarn Online is an online chat service that connects First Nations people with the same staff who answer the phones at 1300 MOB VLA.
Designed by mob for mob, the service makes legal support easier to access and more respectful of First Nations ways of communicating.
For too many First Nations people, traditional pathways to legal help can feel inaccessible, intimidating or disconnected from culture. Yarn Online changes that by offering a safe, respectful and community centred online space to start a conversation.
If someone is unsure where to start with their issue or prefers typing than yarning on the phone, Yarn Online meets them where they are – online, confidentially and in real time.
How it works
People can use Yarn Online through Legal Help Chat on our website from 9 am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
If they choose to let us know about their First Nations identity through the chat, they are transferred to the 1300 MOB VLA team.
Our trained staff will:
- listen with cultural awareness
- provide plain language legal guidance
- help to navigate options and services
- refer to further support where needed.
Online chat does not replace our phone or in person support. It adds another accessible entry point for people to get timely, informed assistance.
There are no barriers or complicated forms to getting started – just a safe space to get help.
Built on culture and care
Yarn Online is built on the values behind 1300 MOB VLA – cultural safety, respect for Country, family and community, listening before advising, and walking with mob, not talking at them.
‘Everyone deserves to be heard in ways that feel safe for them,’ says First Nations Access Manager Isabella Unwin.
‘We know that different people communicate in different ways, and that offering choice increases access and empowerment.
‘Yarn Online is a practical response to what mob told us they need – ways to access legal support that respects culture and communication preferences.’
A step forward together
Yarn Online was born from listening, co-design and deep engagement with community.
We invite services, partners and the community to share Yarn Online with people who would benefit from a safe place to get help with legal issues.
For more information, email First Nations Access Manager Isabella Unwin at isabella.unwin@vla.vic.gov.au
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