Event: CLCNSW May 2019 Quarterly

Yarn Up

For community legal centre Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff only to meet and discuss key policy and practice issues.

Monday, 27 May 2019
9.00am-4.00pm

Gilbert + Tobin
Level 35, Tower Two, International Towers
200 Barangaroo NSW 2000

Convenor: Zachary Armytage, Community Legal Centres NSW

1.1 Network Meeting

Aboriginal Legal Access Program and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Rights Working Group

Convenor: Zac Armytage (ALAP Coordinator, Community Legal Centres NSW)

Room 3.01

This network supports community legal centres operating Aboriginal Legal Access type programs by sharing experience and knowledge.

1.2 Network Meeting

Employment & Discrimination Law Network

Co-convenors: Sharmilla Bargon (Solicitor, Redfern Legal Centre), Stanley Tao (Solicitor, North & Northwest Community Legal Centre), Vasili Maroulis (Managing Principal Solicitor, Marrickville Community Legal Centre)

Guest Speaker: Cletus Brown (Fair Work Ombudsman)

Rooms 3.02-3.03

Employment and discrimination lawyers discuss current issues in relation to employment and discrimination law.
Cletus Brown from the fair work ombudsman will present on Modern Award Coverage.
Possible CPD*: Substantive Law

1.3 Network Meeting

Domestic Violence & Victims Compensation Network

Convenors: Karen Mifsud (Senior Solicitor, Women's Legal Service NSW) and Natalie Ross (Solicitor / Clinical Supervisor, Kingsford Legal Centre)
Guest: Kellie McDonald (Senior Solicitor, Womens Legal Service NSW)

Rooms 3.10-3.12

This network discusses issues affecting DV/VC policies and legislation, and makes recommendations to government and non-government bodies.
Kellie McDonald will speak about the domestic violence amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act.

Possible CPD*: Substantive Law

1.4 Network Meeting: 

Coordinators & Directors Network 

Convenor: Arlia Fleming (Managing Principal Solicitor, Elizabeth Evatt Community Legal Centre) and Robert Pelletier (Executive Officer, Macarthur Legal Centre)

Rooms 3.07-3.09

Coordinators & Directors discuss key policy positions.

2.1 Law Reform

A Human Rights Act for NSW

Speakers: Lee Carnie (Human Rights Law Centre), Kerry Weste (Australian Lawyers for Human Rights).

Rooms 3.02-3.03

An update on the campaign for a Human Rights Act in NSW with a focus on why it’s important and how it would most benefit CLC clients.

Possible CPD*: Substantive Law, Advocacy

2.2. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Recognition

Reconciliation Action Plans: successes and challenges

Facilitator: Emily Hamilton (Senior Policy Officer, Community Legal Centres NSW)
Presenters: A panel including Deborah MacMillan and Bobbi Murray (Central Coast Community Legal Centre), as well as a presenter from Mid North Coast Community Legal Centre and Reconciliation Australia (TBC).

Room 3.01

The panel of presenters will share their experiences of developing a Reconciliation Action Plan.

Possible CPD*: Professional Skills

2.3 Network Meeting:

Coordinators & Directors Network

Facilitators: Arlia Fleming (Managing Principal Solicitor, Elizabeth Evatt Community Legal Centre) and Robert Pelletier (Executive Officer, Macarthur Legal Centre)
Guest: Mia Zahra (Manager Community Legal Centres Program, Legal Aid NSW)

Rooms 3.07-3.09

This is the follow up session from the previous network meeting. Legal Aid NSW will provide an update of key issues.

2.4 Legal Services:

Overcoming Barriers: Working with clients with a mental illness training (part 1)

Facilitator: Tom Cowen (Principal Solicitor, Senior Rights Service)
Presenter: Geoff Tremmelling (Legal Aid NSW)

Rooms 3.10-3.12

A half-day course for all front-line staff to improve client service to people living with mental illness and to reduce the barriers encountered when accessing our services. Over 1,100 staff from Legal Aid NSW, Aboriginal Legal Services, Community Legal Centres, NSW Ombudsman, Legal Aid NSW panel practitioners, Office of the Legal Services Commissioner, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission and other agencies have previously participated. You can watch a trailer of the course here. This is part 1 of the training, to be followed by Part 2 after lunch. Participants should attend both sessions.

Possible CPD*: Professional Skills

Sharon Callaghan from Australian Services Union will be available in the upstairs lunch room.

3.1 Network meeting

Prisoners’ Rights Working Group

Convenors: Carolyn Jones (Senior Solicitor, Women’s Legal Service NSW) and Camilla Pandolfini (Senior Solicitor, Public Interest Advocacy Centre).
Speaker: Donna Blomgren and Dr Sarah-Jane Spencer (Co-Directors, Services & Programs, Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network)

Rooms 3.02-3.03

For staff who visit clients in prison, work for, or have an interest in prisoners’ rights to share their experience, discuss current issues and contribute to policy development. 

Possible CPD*: Substantive Law

3.2 Network Meeting

Admin/Finance Group 

Convenor: Kerrith Sowden (Finance and Operations Manager, RACS) 

Rooms 3.07-3.09

Community legal centre administration and finance officers share relevant systems information and associated policies.

3.3 Network meeting

Communications Network

Convenor: Finn O’Keefe (Communications and Volunteer Manager, Redfern Legal Centre)
Facilitator: Mark Riboldi (Communications & Advocacy Manager, Community Legal Centres NSW)

Room 3.01

Information, skills, and knowledge sharing for people in the sector working  in media, communications, digital, fundraising, IT, etc. Bring your questions and ideas.

3.4 Legal Services

Overcoming Barriers: Working with clients with a mental illness training (Part 2)

Convenor: Tom Cowan (Principal Solicitior, Senior Rights Service)
Presenter: Geoff Tremelling (Legal Aid NSW)

Rooms 3.10-3.12

‘Overcoming the Barriers’ is a half-day course for all front line staff to improve client service to people living with mental illness and to reduce the barriers encountered when accessing our services. This is part 2 of the training, following part 1 prior to lunch lunch. Participants should attend both sessions.

4.1 Network Meeting

CLC Care & Protection Network

Convenor: Kenn Clift (Solicitor, Intellectual Disability Rights Service) and Jenna Dunwoodie (Solicitor, Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Womens Legal Centre)

Rooms 3.02-3.03

The care and protection network provides an opportunity for CLCs to discuss relevant care and protection practice and law reform issues.

Possible CPD*: Substantive Law

4.2: Community Legal Centres NSW ICT Project

ICT Project: Website Training

Facilitator: Alice Jones Rabbitt (ICT Project Coordinator, Community Legal Centres NSW) and Rafael Mazzoldi (Web & CRM Developer, Community Legal Centres NSW)

Room 3.01

Face to face training for centre staff who will be managing and maintaining the new websites developed by the CLCNSW ICT Service.
*This session is only available to existing clients of the ICT Service’s Website Project.

4.3 Service Sustainability

Family Law Family Violence Programs

Facilitator: Tim Leach (Executive Director, Community Legal Centres NSW)

Rooms 3.07-3.09

This session is an opportunity for centres running FLFV programs to discuss funder expectations and share approaches to reporting and target setting. Legal Aid NSW has been invited to attend.

Possible CPD*: Practice management

4.4 Legal Services

LexisNexis Advanced Overview

Facilitator: Nassim Arrage (CEO, National Association of Community Legal Centres)
Presenter: Caroline Chan (LexisNexis).

Rooms 3.10-3.12

LexisNexis advanced overview - This session includes an intro & review of online publications, practical guidance and search tips on case law, legislation and secondary materials.There will be an opportunity for Q&A.

Possible CPD*: Professional Practice

5.1 Training:

Care & Protection Network Training 

Facilitator: Kenn Clift (Solicitor, Parents with an Intellectual Disability, Disability Rights Service)
Presenter: Sylvia Lapic (Director of the Access Systems Redesign, Family and Community Services (FACS))

Rooms 3.02-3.03

An update on the progress of FACS' Child Protection Access System Redesign Project.

Possible CPD*: Practice Management

5.2 Service Sustainability 

NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics & Research (BOSCAR)

Facilitator: Hilary Kincaid (Principal Solicitor, Inner City Legal Centre)
Presenter: Stephanie Ramsey (Information Officer, NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics & Research (BOSCAR))

Rooms 3.07-3.09

An update on BOSCAR findings from data relevant to community legal centre legal services including Centrelink prosecutions; trends in Domestic Violence Regional information, age profile of offenders below the age of 18, rates of non-completion and/or reoffending for defendants given s 32 orders; prosecution and rates of conviction for breaches of ADVOs and APVOs; sentencing outcomes for drug possession and drug supply charges; stats for the Local Court and District Court in criminal matters, animal cruelty prosecutions .

Possible CPD*: Practice Management

5.3 Service Sustainability 

Impact Evaluation Framework

Presenter: Laurel Draffen, Capacity Building Coordinator, Community Legal Centres NSW

Rooms 3.10-3.12

An update on the Impact Evaluation Project and follow up from the first Theory of Change workshop on May 1st.

6.1 Induction for New Workers

Facilitator: Laurel Draffen (Capacity Building Coordinator, Community Legal Centres NSW)
Presenters: Various presenters from Community Legal Centres NSW  

Rooms 3.02-3.03

Introduction to the community legal sector induction for new workers and volunteers. Orientation for new workers and volunteers.

6.2 Network Meeting

Community Legal Education Workers (CLEW) Network 

Facilitator: Duhita Lewis (CLE Coordinator, Hunter Community Legal Centre) & Bronwyn Amboghetti (Managing Solicitor, Hunter Community Legal Centre)

Room 3.01

Presenter: Dr Hugh McDonald (Law and Justice Foundation)

In this session, Hugh will speak about the Blurred Borders project used with Aboriginal communities in the NT and WA cross border region. The kit uses visual art and storytelling to help explain key legal concepts in a culturally appropriate way.

Possible CPD*: Professional Skills

6.3 Network Meeting

Law Reform and Policy Network — Sector Law Reform Priorities

Convenor: Leo Patterson-Ross (Senior Policy Officer, Tenants Union NSW) and Maria Nawaz (Law Reform and Policy Solicitor, Kingsford Legal Centre)
Facilitator: Emily Hamilton (Senior Policy Officer, Community Legal Centres NSW)

Rooms 3.10-3.12

Continuing consultation with the sector, this session will examine suggestions for law reform from community legal centres across NSW and attempt to prioritise them. 

Possible CPD*: Substantive Law, Advocacy

6.4 Committee Meeting

Professional Indemnity Insurance Committee (PII) 

Convenors: Ali Mojtahedi (Principal Solicitor, Immigration Advice & Rights Centre) and Hilary Kincaid (Principal Solicitor, Inner City Legal Centre)

Rooms 3.07-3.09

The PII committee monitors & supports members’ compliance with the Risk Management Guide & informs members of relevant legal practice issues. Principal Solicitors (or their delegate) are required to attend. 

Possible CPD*: Practice Management

7.1 Rural, Regional & Remote (RRR) Network Meeting  

Convenor: Arlia Fleming (Managing Solicitor, Elizabeth Evatt Community Legal Centre)

Room 3.01

This network session is open to any RRR members to discuss issues particular to providing legal services in rural, remote, and regional areas. This session is open to attendance by workers from FVPLS providers and ALS providers. 

7.2: Advocacy & Law Reform

The National Justice Project

Facilitator: Tim Leach (Executive Director, Community Legal Centres NSW) 
Presenter: Nicola Jadura (Senior Solicitor, National Justice Project)

Rooms 3.07-3.09

Nicola will provide an overview of the National Justice Project and current cases in relation to key justice issues such as class action into detainees on Nauru and the Coronial Inquest into Naomi Williams' death.

Possible CPD*: Substantive Law, Advocacy

7.3 Legal Services

National Redress Scheme

Presenter: Amanda Whelan (Director Client Services, knowmore)

Rooms 3.10-3.12

Making Survivor Rights Real: A trauma-informed approach to talking about child sexual abuse (and possible NRS applications) with legal services clients.

Possible CPD*: Practice Management, Risk Management

7.4 Legal Services

Making best use of the Employee Assistance Program

Facilitator: Robert Pelletier (Executive Officer, Macarthur Legal Centre)
Presenter: Elizabeth Hill (Benestar)

Rooms 3.02-3.03

Community legal centres have access to Benestar, a Employment Assistance Program providing a range of services. The account is provided courtesy Department of Justice. This session will provide an overview of how you can more effectively use this service.

Possible CPD*: Professional skills

Rooms 3.07-3.09

8.1 Reconciliation Week Forum (1.30-2.30pm)

Presenters: Panel of presenters TBC

Rooms 3.07-3.09

Tenants’ Union, CLCNSW, Financial Rights Legal Centre, Redfern Legal Centre, Arts Law Centre of Australia, knowmore and NACLC are jointly conducting a session to mark National Reconciliation Week. The session will follow our special National Reconciliation Week lunch and will include speakers, performers and a short film on the theme ‘Grounded in truth, walk together with courage’. 

8.2 Sector Wide Forum (2.30-3.30pm)

Facilitator: Tim Leach (Executive Director, Community Legal Centres NSW) 

Rooms 3.07-3.09

A discussion of current key sector issues such as service level agreements and catchment areas.  

CLE Masterclass jointly run by CLEW Network and Legal AID NSW

Venue

Gilbert + Tobin
Level 35, Tower Two, International Towers Sydney
200 Barangaroo Avenue
Barangaroo NSW 2000

This will be a practical and interactive day learning about community legal education. 

• Are you interested in developing your community legal education (CLE) skills?
• Do you want to know more about connecting with diverse communities to deliver meaningful CLE?
• Would you like to sharpen your CLE facilitation skills?

Venue

Herbert Smith Freehills
161 Castlereagh St
Sydney NSW 2000

The need for an Impact Evaluation approach to demonstrate the effectiveness of community based organisations is now well established. This Theory of Change workshop is an opportunity to find out more about Impact Evaluation and contribute to a Theory of Change for use by the NSW sector and by individual centres. This will be an interactive workshop where you will work with your peers to discuss and respond to some of the big questions - what impact do community legal centres in NSW for clients, community and the justice system? How do our activities make a difference? The workshop will result in developing outcome maps that will contribute to a draft Impact Evaluation Framework for the sector. Rural, regional and remote participants are particularly encouraged to register for the May 30 workshop.

Community Legal Centres NSW indicates whether a session may be appropriate to attract Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points but takes no responsibility if the content does not meet CPD requirements. Sessions are not accredited by the NSW Law Society. Community legal centre solicitors should make their own assessment of whether the session meets their CPD requirements, and maintain their own records for meeting CPD requirements.

Further information about CPD requirements are available on the Law Society NSW website.

Requirements 

• Experience and/or interest in the area of the network 
• Commitment and availability to attend and lead network session at each Quarterly
• Willingness to be a point of contact between CLCNSW and the network 
• Assisting CLCNSW to maintain email groups of people interested in work of the network 

Preparation for Quarterlies 

• If appropriate, arrange speakers - notify CLCNSW one month in advance to enable inclusion in the program
• Advise CLCNSW of any technology or other requirements for the network meeting at least one week prior to the date of Quarterly

Facilitate network meeting 

• Prepare and distribute agenda 
• Facilitate network meeting - welcome participants, introduce guests, review any action items from previous meeting, keep agenda items to time, facilitate discussion and any decision making within time frame 

Meeting Administration 

• Ensure meeting minutes are kept
• Ensure participants sign in (registration forms provided) at each meeting 
• Distribute and collect evaluation forms - return to room folder at the end of the session 

Reporting and Accountability 

• Ensure an oral summary report of the network meeting is given at the end of each Quarterly at the Sector wide meeting
• Emailing copies of the minutes to the Network members
• Ensure meeting minutes are emailed to CLCNSW for record keeping

• Welcome and introduce speaker.

• Ensure remote participants are included throughout the session.

• Liaise with volunteer / CLCNSW staff member at the session regarding technology. • Manage Q&A section of session.

• Monitor time, keeping the session to time limits.

• Thank the speaker and close the session.

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge that the land upon which these meetings are taking place is land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.

With thanks to guests, event sponsors and pro bono presentations from: Legal Aid NSW, Gilbert & Tobin, Herbert Smith and Freehills, BOSCAR, Justice Health and Forensic Health Network contributing, Family and Community Services, Benestar, National Justice Project, knowmore and participating member community legal centres. Thanks also to volunteers who assisted in the smooth running of the event.