Our Place Doveton connects disadvataged community with free legal services
Collaboration between Our Place and Mission Australia brings much-needed legal support directly to the Doveton community.
The need for a service to support the varying legal needs of the community was first identified through the Doveton Early Years Network, which includes 54 Reasons, Maternal and Child Health, Doveton Early Learning Centre, Doveton College, Doveton Library and Our Place Doveton. The Maternal and Child Health nurse and playgroup facilitators noted a growing number of parents and carers seeking legal advice for visa-related matters, with inquiries becoming more frequent and complex. They also reported an increase in requests for legal support concerning family violence issues.
While there was a specific need for a family law specialist, it was vital that the service would help as many people as possible. By having a generalist lawyer on site, the lawyer could then refer clients on to relevant colleagues depending on their need. To have this service also located on site at Doveton College would provide a space that is safe, secure and easily accessible to the people who need it most.
During feasibility investigations, Our Place connected with South-East Monash Legal Services, who had a lawyer placed at a nearby location for half a day each week. Due to a lack of funding however, the same arrangement could not be made available to Doveton College. South-East Monash Legal Services were however able to run some workshops at Doveton College during Victorian Law Week, which were highly beneficial to families who took part.
In the meantime, Lisa Banfield, Mission Australia’s Program Manager Children and Families and Ellen Wachter Mission Australia’s Communities for Children Coordinator were invited to Doveton College to learn more about the work of Our Place and to discuss potential partnership opportunities.
Following the visit, the Mission Australia Board met and agreed to fund the community legal service for 12 months as it aligned with their strategic priorities.
This is exactly what we’re after – a service that supports a whole community and involves the collaboration of lots of other organisations.
Lisa Banfield, Mission Australia Program Manager, Children and Families
The prospective partnership was also shared with Our Place Doveton’s Site Partnership Group (SPG), which includes Doveton College, the City of Casey, 54 Reasons, Chisholm Institute, Doveton Neighbourhood Learning Centre, the Department of Education and the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing. The governance group was supportive of the partnership as they saw it as a crucial step toward ensuring that the community has the support it needs to thrive.
Collaborating with like-minded partners like Mission Australia and South-East Monash Legal Services allow the team to bridge gaps and bring much-needed legal services directly to the Doveton community.
Kerrie Russell, Our Place Doveton Partnership Manager
From July 2024, Doveton’s new Community Lawyer, Anj (pictured), will be based at Doveton College one day a week, with another day per week scheduled for case work follow up. While the legal service at Doveton College is still new, it’s already addressing a significant need within the school community.
Our Place Doveton Community Facilitators also play a crucial role in helping community members access the service through warm referrals. The team assist with completing and emailing referral forms on behalf of the community, as many individuals face challenges with language and technology. Doveton Community Facilitator, Jayne Perry, has already assisted seven individuals in completing the referral form for legal advice.
“One woman, who was experiencing a domestic violence situation, approached me after her meeting with the lawyer, expressing that she now feels considerably more confident and at ease regarding the resolution of her issues,” says Jayne.
The service is funded until July 2025, and Our Place’s hope is that this invaluable free legal service will continue well beyond this time.