Management Committee Members Introduction to CLCs 6 June 2013

Management Committee Members

Introduction to CLCs

6 June 2013

A “snapshot” of the Community Legal Sector

CLCNSW Justice Sector Agencies Current issues A brief overview of the role of the

management committee Questions

Let’s go back to the beginning…

Where and when was the first community legal centre in Australia established?

Fitzroy Legal Centre in Melbourne, Victoria

18 December 1972

Name one reason why CLCs came into existence.

Primarily because of a concern that many people in the community were unable to access legal assistance because of costs or other barriers.CLCs developed with a philosophy of holistic and accessible service provision.

What is a CLC?

A non profit organisation independent from government, commercial and professional bodies

Community-based organisation whose goals and priorities are established in response to the geographic community and/or community of interest it serves.

What is a CLC?Aims to:

◦ carry on a legal practice◦ develop effective ways of informing the community of its legal

rights and responsibilities◦ provide disadvantaged sections of the community with access

to legal and related information and/or services◦ advocate for the development of laws, administrative practices

and a legal justice system which are fair, just and equitable◦ develop and maintain close links with the community it serves

to ensure that areas of unmet need are detected and appropriate services developed

A brief history of CLCs

◦Social justice movement in early 1970s

◦Volunteer-run free legal information and advice

◦1977: first CLC in Redfern

Funding of CLCs

◦Commonwealth◦State◦Public Purpose Fund◦Other sources (Fair Trading)◦Managed by Legal Aid NSW

Areas of work/staffing in CLCs◦Civil◦Family◦Criminal◦Principal Solicitor / Coordinator◦Solicitors / Community workers

Membership◦37 full members (CLCs)◦3 associate members

Board and Committees◦Board◦Subcommittees:

Finance Staffing Aboriginal Legal Access Program Sector Development Membership compliance

State Office◦ Director◦ ALAP Community Development Worker◦ Regional Accreditation Coordinator◦ Advocacy & Human Rights Officer◦ Sector Development Coordinator◦ Administrator◦ Finance Officer◦ Volunteers (interns, including PLT students)

Aboriginal Legal Access Program

AccreditationAdvocacy and Human RightsSector Development

Held February, May, August, November 2 day meetings Network meetings and professional development

sessions Includes General Meetings at end of second day Legal Training Day and Leadership Day

Practice Insurance Committee (PII) Coordinators/Directors/Sector Development Law Reform & Policy (which has a number of working

groups) RRR (Rural, Regional, Remote) Aboriginal Advisory Group Community Legal Education workers (CLEW) Administrators and Finance Domestic Violence and Victims Compensation

committee

.

There are two meetings at each quarterlies for which the CLCNSW Rules requires each member CLC to send a representative.

PII and General Meetings.

NACLC:National Association of Community Legal Centres

Peak body for all CLCs in Australia.CLCNSW is NSW member.

NLAFNSW Legal Assistance ForumAn interagency forum that brings together key legal service providers across government, non government and private sectors. NLAF aims to facilitate access to justice for socially and economically disadvantaged people by:

◦ improving the way services and programs are designed and delivered◦ promoting cooperative arrangements and collaboration between

organisations within the community and justice sectors◦ promoting the development of innovative ways of servicing

marginalised groups in the community, based on relevant research and identified gaps in existing legal services.

Legal Aid NSWLaw & Justice FoundationLaw SocietyDepartment of Attorney General and Justice

Bar AssociationPro bono partners

Rollover of funding agreements

Funding principles

Governance versus Management

Governance is the work of the Board, day to day management is the work of Coordinator / Principal Solicitor / staff

Constitution - mission, purpose & objects Do you have a copy / know what’s in the

constitution? Mission – what / how / why and “core

value” Does the mission statement truly reflect

the Centre’s work? Review regularly (annually?)

Legal and ethical responsibilities Ensure adhere to Federal / State law Effective HR, WH&S policies Conflict of interest policy – Board,

management, staff, volunteers Understand Coordinator’s responsibility

to hire / fire staff

Strategic planning

Ensure effective planning Regular review of programs and services SWOT Translate mission into realistic &

effective goals Reporting processes against plan

Accreditation

Understand and support the NACLC accreditation scheme

Resources – financial and people

Oversee adequacy / funding / new opportunities

Annual budget process – discuss / understand / oversight

Financial reporting procedures Support Coordinator / Principal Solicitor

Public relations, promotion and committee/board membership

Ambassador for Centre

Governance training

CLCNSW is able to provide this to all CLC MCs in NSW

Contact State Office for more information.

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