Shaun Leane MP today announced Eastern Community Legal Centre will receive a $300,000 funding boost as part of a grants program under the Andrews Labor Government.
The $300,000 of funding over two years will help the Eastern Community Legal Centre to provide vital legal assistance to vulnerable and disadvantaged people in Eastern Metropolitan region.
Eastern Community Legal Centre will use the funding to:
- Continue the employment of a Community Lawyer at 0.4 FTE over two years to develop more integrated service partnerships, expand Community Legal Education, provide education and some legal advice for at-risk pregnant and parenting young women and partner with the Department of Justice and Regulation, specialist legal and other agencies to offer complementary outreach services from the Healesville office.
- Employ a Community Lawyer with family violence expertise at 0.4 FTE over two years to attend the Ringwood Magistrates’ Court as well as provide more holistic assistance.
- Continue the employment of a Community Lawyer at 0.4 FTE over two years to provide outreach services to the Dandenong Ranges, undertake additional legal casework for family violence clients identified through the Intervention Order Support Service or the Centre more broadly, provide additional Community Legal Education and partnership family violence work, and develop a proposal for Upper Yarra family violence pilot program.
Eastern Community Legal Centre is one of 38 community legal centres across Victoria to successfully apply for a grant under the funding programs, including the Community Legal Centre Assistance Fund, the Family Violence Duty Lawyer Fund, and the Community Legal Centre Family Violence Fund.
The grants – totaling $8.9 million – will help support more than 100,000 Victorians each year with free advice and support on a range of legal matters including family violence proceedings and family law disputes.
The Victorian Budget 2017/18 provided $24.8 million in new funding to help community legal centres across the state to deliver critical legal services and advice to Victorians.
Quotes attributable to the Member for Eastern metropolitan Region, Shaun Leane
“We’re proud to be delivering this funding to Eastern Community Legal Centre because it will help to improve access to legal services in our community and deliver more support to those who need it most.”
“I congratulate Eastern Community Legal Centre on their successful application, and thank them for their hard work and dedication to the Eastern Metropolitan community.”
Quotes attributable to Attorney-General Martin Pakula
“The Andrews Labor Government is making access to justice easier and fairer by supporting community legal centres across the state.”
“This funding will help community legal centres to deliver more family violence and legal support services to vulnerable and disadvantaged Victorians.”