The fund allocation will support eight community organisations
The Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner (VLSB+C) has unveiled a new $7m funding stream to support eight community organisations.
The Strong Foundations initiative aims to enhance legal service availability across both regional and metropolitan areas of the state.
“Strong Foundations grants are about building a solid base and creating the infrastructure that’s needed to run a community legal organisation effectively – and keep it running, even when there are significant stressors and circumstances change”, said VLSB+C CEO and Commissioner Fiona McLeay. “And Victorians need this stability more than ever as they grapple with social and financial pressures and increasing legal complexity”.
She confirmed that the grants have been offered to "community legal centres that we know and trust to deliver quality legal services to Victorians".
ARC Justice, located in central and northern Victoria, will use a $1m grant to integrate climate justice into their offerings, addressing the challenges of adaptability and affordability exacerbated by climate change and reinforced by the 2022 Victorian flood disaster.
"The funding will further the coordination of the broader sector to enhance community climate resilience and response when future disasters occur," CEO Damian Stock said.
The Eastern Community Legal Centre will use their $1m grant to extend their intake and free outreach efforts to disadvantaged people from Boorondara to the Yarra Ranges.
The funding will also support the expansion of specialised legal services for criminalised women in Victoria as the Law and Advocacy Centre for Women utilises their $1m grant to improve access to social work services and advocate for more gender-responsive measures in the criminal legal system.
Strong Foundations is part of VLSB+C's larger grants programme, which has issued 217 grants totalling $66.5m since 2007. The grants aimed at enhancing access to legal services across Victoria.
