Sharing learnings in the community legal assistance sector

The Community Development and Community Legal Education Working Group recently came together for its annual forum.

The event was held at the Melbourne office of King and Wood Mallesons on Wurundjeri land, with their pro bono support.

The working group promotes community development and community legal education as empowering mechanisms to prevent or minimise legal issues.

It is a working group of the Federation of Community Legal Centres, and currently co-convened by Tania McKenna from Northern Community Legal Centre and Jacinta Maloney from Victoria Legal Aid.

A productive forum

Community Legal Education (CLE) Coordinator and working group co-convenor Jacinta Maloney says the forum was a great success with 40 people in attendance, the highest of any forum for this working group, and important collaborative work being undertaken.

‘Attendees appreciated the opportunity to connect in person, learn from each other and be inspired by the work shared at the forum,’ said Jacinta.

'We also enjoyed discussing a variety of topics of interest to the community legal assistance sector, including professional standards for bi-cultural work, sex and consent for young people, decriminalisation of sex work and preventing discrimination, and the Victorian Law Foundation’s Public Understanding of Law Survey.

‘A good example of collaborative work being initiated through the working group is Melbourne University Law School Street Law students being connected with community legal centres to undertake project work, including planning, developing and presenting CLE sessions to the community.’

The forum was also an opportunity for our staff to demonstrate our My Safety tool and highlight the affirmative consent legislative changes becoming operational on 30 July, as well as tell attendees about resources they can use in their work, like our Sex, Young People and the Law resources that are being updated to reflect those changes.

Supporting our sector partners

Jacinta is keen to assist the working group as it provides many benefits.

‘The working group shares information, learnings and resources, develops innovative projects based on community participation and consultation, enhances cross-sector collaboration and explores possible joint initiatives.

‘We will continue to support the group going forward as it delivers great support for the legal sector,’ she said.

The working group comprises people working across the legal assistance sector in community development and community legal education, including lawyers, educators and advocates. It also includes representatives from the Legal Services Board, Victoria Law Foundation, Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, Neighbourhood Justice Centre, Aged Care Justice and the Victorian Ombudsman.

More information

Learn more about our Community Legal Education and see our resources about making community legal information. If you would like to know more about the Community Legal Education and Community Development Working Group, contact cle@vla.vic.gov.au.