Redfern Legal Centre will increase access to justice for First Nations people in our local catchment through our First Nations Justice Practice, and employment of a First Nations Engagement Worker. The First Nations Engagement Worker will work in our First Nations Justice practice alongside the First Nations Justice Lawyer. Redfern Legal Centre is committed to ...
Redfern Legal Centre
Increasing First Nations Access to Justice at Redfern Legal Centre
GOAL
$50,000
Australia > NSW > Metro and Regional
Field of Interest
- First Nations communities
- Social inclusion and justice
Target Population
- Young people (6-25)
- People experiencing socio-economic disadvantage or vulnerability
Redfern Legal Centre
Redfern Legal Centre (RLC) is a non-profit community legal centre that provides access to justice. Established in 1977 and inspired by the inception of the Aboriginal Legal Service in Redfern, Redfern Legal Centre was the first community legal centre in NSW and the second in Australia. We provide free legal services and education to people experiencing disadvantage. We draw on our frontline, grassroots work with the community to create positive change through policy and law reform work to address inequalities in the legal system, policies and social practices that cause disadvantage.
We provide effective and integrated free legal services that are client-focused, collaborative, non-discriminatory and responsive to changing community needs. Our specialist legal services focus on tenancy, credit, debt and consumer law, financial abuse, employment law, international students, First Nations justice, police accountability, and we provide outreach services including through our health justice partnership.
Project Summary
Redfern Legal Centre will increase access to justice for First Nations people in our local catchment through our First Nations Justice Practice, and employment of a First Nations Engagement Worker.
The First Nations Engagement Worker will work in our First Nations Justice practice alongside the First Nations Justice Lawyer.
Redfern Legal Centre is committed to increasing First Nations’ access to justice and breaking down barriers to justice and equality. It is crucial that we do this through employment of First Nations staff.
The RLC First Nations Engagement Worker will:
– strengthen the connection between RLC and First Nations people, communities and organisations,
– work across the whole of our organisation to ensure that all our practices are culturally safe and appropriate,
– conduct outreach to local First Nations and non-First Nations organisations to ensure our services are accessible,
– conduct and arranges community legal education,
– develop and publish culturally appropriate factsheets
– ensure RLC attends and contributes to culturally significant events organised by the local First Nations community, and
– meet with every First Nations client that requests the presence of a First Nations staff member. This includes clients that access our intake at Redfern Town Hall, and across other practice areas including our Health Justice Partnership at Sydney Dental Hospital and tenancy services.
Project Outcomes
The First Nations Engagement Worker will conduct outreach each week to local First Nations organisations.
The First Nations Engagement Worker will work with First Nations organisations and communities to determine the need for community legal education sessions and the types of issues that are relevant and current.
The Engagement Worker will conduct and arrange ten community legal education sessions over the year – either at a local organisation as requested, online or at Redfern Legal Centre.
The First Nations Engagement Worker will ensure that our factsheets, community legal education and services are culturally appropriate and safe and will develop and publish five new factsheets on topic relevant to the local First Nations community.
Ensuring increased access to justice for First Nations people through employment of a First Nations Engagement worker will ensure:
- Increased access to justice for First Nations people, particularly women and young people.
- First Nations local organisations and the community drive and inform the work we do with and for First Nations Peoples.
- Redfern Legal Centre has trust and strong relationships with local and state-wide First Nations organisations and communities.
- First Nations people are better informed about their legal rights.
- The provision of legal services is accessible for First Nations women experiencing family and intimate partner violence.
- First Nations young people understand their rights around their engagement and interactions with NSW Police.
Budget Breakdown
TOTAL BUDGET: $200,000
FUNDING
| Funding source | Amount |
|---|---|
| RLC core funding | $150,000 |
| Funding Gap | $50,000 |
EXPENSES
| Expense item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Wages, on costs, administration and management fees | $200,000 |
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