eBulletin | August 2017

RLC staff from our Employment and Discrimination advice service, our Credit and Debt advice service, and our Tenancy advice service, working together to provide holistic, wrap-around legal support.

Joining the dots: connecting with our community

Every week, RLC assists community members with legal issues at our offices in Redfern, the Downing Centre, Newtown and Waverley Courts, and at the Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association. But this is only part of the outreach work we do.

We know that for many people, seeking legal advice can be daunting and, quite often, they don't see their issue as having a legal remedy at all. To help over overcome these barriers, RLC embeds legal advice services directly within the communities we serve, in areas where legal need is greatest. This e-bulletin highlights how our innovative and flexible approach to program delivery is changing lives and increasing awareness and access to the services we provide.

Maintaining these holistic wrap-around legal services is resource intensive. We simply could not sustain this work without ongoing financial support. If you want to become a part of this story, I urge you to donate to RLC. The old adage holds true: a little really does go a long way. The work you will read about within this bulletin is a testament to that. A fun way to get involved is to Run Free for RLC in September at the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival! You can read more about this in our fundraising update, further below.

This month we also have some sad but exciting news to share. After leading our legal practice for the last 14 years, our Principal Solicitor Elizabeth Morley has announced her retirement. Elizabeth’s immense wisdom, leadership and dedication will be sorely missed, both at RLC and across the CLC sector. We will also be welcoming Alexis Goodstone who comes to us from PIAC as our new Principal Solicitor. You can read more about this below as well.

I am also personally very happy to let you know that our CEO, Jo Shulman, returns from maternity leave on 14 August. I am excited to work with Jo again as RLC continues to provide access to justice and achieve social change for our community.

Jacqui Swinburne
Acting CEO
Redfern Legal Centre

Support RLC. Donate today

Want to get fit and support social justice? Find out how you can help fundraise for Redfern Legal Centre at next month's Blackmores Sydney Running Festival! For info, see our fundraising update further below.

OUTREACH AND PARTNERSHIPS

Health Justice Partnership: Providing holistic legal and health care

In May 2015, Redfern Legal Centre and Sydney Local Health District partnered to establish the first hospital-based Health Justice Partnership (HJP) in New South Wales.

By collaborating with health professionals, our HJP program is creating new opportunities to identify legal issues in people’s lives, and working towards making improvements in their health.

L-R: Sue-Ellen Hills, solicitor at Redfern Legal Centre, and Elaine Doherty, NUM Drug Health, RPA.

Our HJP was recently profiled in NSW Doctor Magazine. Read the article here.

L-R: Redfern residents with RLC tenancy advocate Kimberley Mackenzie, RLC principal solicitor Elizabeth Morley, and NSW Minister for Social Housing, Brad Hazzard.

Redlink Outreach Service

Focusing on early intervention, RedLink aims to improve the health and wellbeing of residents in social housing in Redfern by providing integrated, wrap-around services, where the need is greatest.

A variety of programs are run as part of RedLink, including a regular weekly morning tea and cooking classes. Held every Friday, these morning teas allow residents to get to know each other and to speak with the RedLink team in an informal setting.

These informal encounters build trust and confidence with people, who then find it easier to attend in the more formal office setting.

Taking legal advice to the café: Glebe Legal Outreach and Advice Service

The Glebe Legal Outreach and Advice Service operates out of the ‘Have a Chat Café’ (HCC) in Glebe’s Old Fire Station on Mitchell Street every Thursday between 9:30am and 12pm, and both pre-booked appointments and drop-ins are welcome.

The clinic, delivered by RLC in partnership with Legal Aid, was established in recognition of the need for a targeted legal advice service to address the often-complex legal needs experienced by Glebe residents.

Susan Smith speaking at the NSW FASS launch, Parramatta Family Court of Australia, May 2017.

New Family Advocacy and Support Services (FASS) launched

Susan Smith, the Coordinator of RLC's Sydney Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (Sydney WDVCAS), recently spoke at the launch of new Family Advocacy and Support Services (FASS) in NSW.

This new national scheme is providing a combination of legal and social supports to assist family violence victims as they navigate the family courts.

In NSW, the FASS will be provided by Legal Aid and will operate at the Parramatta, Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong family law courts. At all four NSW courts, Legal Aid solicitors will provide legal assistance to family members affected by family violence, and the WDVCASs will deliver social support services to women. Services for men will be provided by Relationships Australia.

R EAD MORE>

Case study: Roy's* story

Roy was an Aboriginal man who was regularly seen around Poets Corner. He was referred to the Redlink Law Clinic in late 2015 and attended with his social worker who was assisting him to get support. He had received a warning letter from his public housing provider regarding unauthorised occupants, high numbers of visitors, verbal abuse towards security staff, intimidating neighbours, vandalism and anti-social behaviour. The public housing provider were close to issuing a notice of termination to end his tenancy.

Supported by the social worker, the solicitor discussed the issues with Roy as well as the serious threat to his tenancy he was facing. Roy had been homeless himself and found it difficult not to allow other homeless people to stay at his house. He felt that he needed support to stop this as well as to get rid of the unauthorised occupant.

After discussing the matter with Roy and his support worker, he agreed that it would help him to be moved to another inner city area that was away from Poets Corner. This would also help him to evict the unauthorised occupant.

Working with the social worker was a tremendous support, as she assisted Roy to get involved in other types of social activities, undergo rehab and attend both his health and legal appointments.

Roy was then moved into a permanent tenancy in another inner city area, was able to improve his health, and greatly reduced his alcoholism. He also participated in positive social activities as an Aboriginal leader.

This case study is just one of many that shows the benefits, of health and legal services working together to support vulnerable people, government departments and the community generally.

* Name has been changed.

OTHER NEWS...

RLC Principal Solicitor Elizabeth Morley announces her retirement

After 14 years of steady leadership of the legal practice at Redfern Legal Centre, our Principal Solicitor, Elizabeth Morley is retiring. We have been very lucky to have Elizabeth for so long, and over this time she has built many strong networks with our local community.

At the same time she has always been a wise mentor and a source of comfort for the young solicitor who has casework anxieties as well as a strong leader in the CLC network. We will certainly miss her and wish her all the best for her future endeavours and travels.

We are also very excited to announce that Alexis Goodstone will be joining us in August to take over the role of Principal Solicitor.

Above: RLC's outgoing Principal Solicitor, Elizabeth Morley. Below: incoming Principal Solicitor, Alexis Goodstone.

NSW Stolen Generations reparations payment scheme

In December 2016, the NSW government announced a long-awaited compensation package for members of the Stolen Generations.

The Stolen Generations reparations payment scheme commenced on 1 July 2017 and will run for the next five years, offering one-off ex-gratia payments to survivors. Applicants may also be eligible to receive a one-off funeral assistance payment.

Redfern Legal Centre is providing advice to community members interested in making a claim, and assistance with completing and lodging the application form.

RLC Stolen Generations webinar

In July, RLC partnered with Carroll O’Dea on a legal education seminar to the CLC network and Legal Aid on the Stolen Generations Reparation Scheme.

This powerful webinar, presented by Hayley Aldrich, provided a highly informative but also heartbreaking overview of client stories. Through community education and outreach, we hope to contribute to a brighter future for members of stolen generations.

L-R: Julia Harrison, Partner, Carroll O'Dea;
Elizabeth Morley, Principal Solicitor, RLC;
Hayley Aldrich, Associate, Carroll O'Dea;
Jacqui Swinburne, Acting CEO, RLC.

RLC in the media: Workers are vulnerable in the virtual workplace

RLC's Employment and Discrimination Solicitor, Dr Linda Tucker, looks at the growing trend of wage theft and exploitation in the workplace, and says it's time for action.

FUNDRAISING NEWS...

Run Free for RLC!

Enjoy running? Looking for a way to give back? Redfern Legal Centre is an official charity partner of the 2017 Blackmores Sydney Running Festival!

This means that anyone who takes part in the 2017 event the festival can opt to fundraise for RLC. Raise $500 or more and you will be eligible to have your cost of entry refunded – so you’ll not only be getting fit and supporting social justice, you’ll be running for FREE!

You don’t need to be an elite sports star to enter, either! Taking place on 17 September, there is a race for everyone (marathon, half marathon, 10 k and 3.5 k family run). Enjoy some of Sydney’s most historic sites and picturesque views, while helping to fundraise for equal justice!

Instructions on how to register and set up your fundraising page are on our website: http://bit.ly/run-for-RLC.

USyd Law Revue takes centre stage

University of Sydney students Haden (USyd Law Revue producer) and Liz (USyd Law Revue director), presenting a donation cheque to RLC's Jo Shulman (CEO) and Jacqui Swinburne (COO).

Students from the University of Sydney Law Revue dropped into RLC this week with fantastic news! They have raised $4096.61 for RLC from the proceeds of their 2016 show!

RLC CEO, Jo Shulman, was thrilled to accept this generous donation, which will support the work of RLC.

The 2017 University of Sydney Law Revue, LAW LAW LAND, comes to the Seymour Centre from 23–26 August. Tickets are on sale now, and 50% of all proceeds will once again be donated to Redfern Legal Centre.

Book tickets for LAW LAW LAND

Thank you to our generous supports and donors

We’re happy to announce that Redfern Legal Centre has had a record setting fundraising year in the 2016/17 financial year! This will support the growth of our services throughout the next year, giving us greater sustainability and ability to further increase innovation.

We are humbled to have the support of so many people. It inspires our staff to know that so many members of the community are committed to social justice.

We look forward to updating you on the impact we are having over the year to come!

To find out how you can support the work of RLC click here.