Following a successful tender bid and the allocation by the State Government of additional funds, Central Coast CLC has now expanded it’s Duty Lawyer Service to Gosford Local Court (Tuesday).
Ryan Flippence (Senior Solicitor) is available on Tuesday!
Our Latest Recruit
Central Coast CLC welcomes Ben to the team!!! Although new to staff Ben is well known at Central Coast CLC, having volunteered as a legal student during his studies. Ben has a wealth of experience in NSW Government services and is passionate about our work.
Ben is a welcome addition to our amazing dedicated team of solicitors.
PRESS RELEASE
13 May 2019
Funding boost for local COMMUNITY legal centre
Central Coast Community Legal Centre received a funding boost earlier this month with the NSW Attorney General announcing an additional $115,000 for the Centre each year, over the next three years.
The funding will allow the Centre to continue to give vital support to those on the Coast who need legal help, but would otherwise be unable to access a lawyer’s services because of the cost.
Central Coast Community Legal centre offers a free, telephone-based legal information and advice service as well as outreach services at Wyong Local Court and local community locations including Mingaletta in Umina, Toukley Neighbourhood Centre, Yerin, Aboriginal Health Service in Wyong and Wyong Hospital (Mental Health Service).
Last year the Centre provided legal advice and assistance to more than 8,000 local people with legal problems including family and domestic violence, neighbourhood disputes, family law, employment and traffic offences.
CEO of Central Coast Community Legal Centre, Deb Macmillan said; “Our team helps people in our community who may otherwise slip through the cracks of the justice system.
“Our lawyers and legal support team and wonderful volunteers are passionate about helping vulnerable people. We recognise that the problems that people come to us with, aren’t always just about the law.
“We work with other community organisations across the Coast to make referrals or provide information about resources, to help people access the right network of support they need,” Deb continued.
Central Coast Community Legal Centre will use the additional funding to enhance their vital work and ensure that the Centre can reach even more vulnerable people on the Coast.
“We are delighted that the Attorney General’s announcement this week will see an increase of $1.86m in annual funding across the State’s 40 Community Legal Centres and services over next year,” said Deb
While the NSW sector is benefitting from an increase of $1.86 million from 2018-19 to 2020, 10 centres will sadly receive less funding in the redistribution.
There will be parts of NSW where vulnerable people will miss out on access to legal help when they need it,” she continued.
As well as state government funding, Central Coast Community Legal Centre also receives funding from the NSW Public Purpose Fund, Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department.
We are excited to welcome a new volunteer at the Central Coast Community Legal Centre in partnership with Macquarie University’s PACE program!
Isiah Thompson has been working hard at the CLC for the past three months with our amazing Aboriginal Worker, Bobbi Murray. Together they have been collaborating with firms from both Newcastle and Sydney on various projects within the community including the 2018 Wills Day and the upcoming Intellectual Property Day for local artists. Bobbi and Isiah have also undertaken some creative projects, creating promotional videos for these days as well as working on training modules in the form of cultural competency activities and videos.
The PACE program is a Community and Professional Engagement course aimed at giving undergraduate students experience in the legal profession. Isiah is about to complete his Bachelor of Law and Science and is in his final semester. He plans to apply for the College of Law in 2019 and will hopefully continue volunteering with the CCCLC as part of the required work experience for that as well. If you are an undergraduate student we urge you to contact us to find out about joining the team through your PACE or equivalent courses.
May 31 2018 we celebrated National Reconciliation Week with an afternoon tea with our partner organisations and community. We also launched our Acknowledgement to Country building plaque.
https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/nrw2018
Got an AVO? Know someone who does? Lost and confused at court?
At Central Coast CLC, we are proud to launch our brand new video resource about Apprehended Violence Orders. This video explains in everyday English what an AVO is, how to get one, what to do if one is taken out against you and what to do at court.
This video is both for applicants (people needing to take out an AVO for their protection) and for defendants (people who have had an AVO taken out against them).
It is a great resource to watch to get an overall picture of the legal and court processes that happen when an AVO is taken out. However, if you have watched the video and still have specific questions about an AVO, you can get free legal advice from:
Central Coast Community Legal Centre: (02) 4353 4988
Legal Aid NSW (Gosford): (02) 4324 5611
Dear Friend
Make a tax deductible donation to us now and help your local community
Right now, hundreds of people in the Central Coast community are missing out on the help they need to solve a legal problem.
People living below the poverty line, people with a disability, people who have been evicted from their homes, or who’ve lost their jobs, been discriminated against or ripped off by an unscrupulous ‘friend’ or business.
Women with children fleeing domestic violence, Aboriginal families under pressure on all fronts, older people and people with poor English who face a bewildering and threatening legal system they can’t understand … and many more.
Unresolved legal problems have devastating consequences, leading to homelessness, unemployment, serious debt, relationship breakdowns and illness.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
At the Central Coast Community Legal Centre we believe everyone deserves equal access to justice. Each year our tiny, determined team of volunteers, interns and solicitors helps almost 6,000 vulnerable and disadvantaged people with free, accessible advice and support at one of the most stressful and difficult times of their lives.
We do it on a shoestring budget and we do it because we care.
We are doing a fantastic job but we want to do more.
Frankly, we are overwhelmed. Last year we had to turn away over 1700 people simply because we don’t have enough solicitors to provide timely assistance. That’s why we’re asking for your help today.
Will you make a tax-deductible donation before 30 June?
Our aim is to raise $5,000 to help an extra 100 people in 2017.
The more you can give us, the more people we can help.
All gifts will make a difference. Click here to Donate with Give Now
The money we raise will go directly to help people in need right here on the Central Coast.
Thank you on behalf of the whole team here at Central Coast Community Legal Centre … and all of the people we help.
Deborah Macmillan
Executive Officer
NBN news visited the Central Coast CLC office in Wyong to gauge our reaction to the Federal Budget.
See the video here.
Take a look out our new promotional video, hot off the press to help celebrate our 20th Anniversary!