Legal Assistance Dialogues

Introduction

As part of our ongoing commitment to consultation, collaboration and partnership development, VLAF will develop an extensive community engagement strategy. We will engage with disadvantaged communities, community organisations, legal assistance providers, government departments and other external stakeholders on a regular basis.

Proposal

To establish regular Legal Assistance Dialogue Forums as mechanisms to identify issues related to legal access for specific target groups and/or different areas of law.

Methodology

VLAF will invite guest speakers/specialists/consumers to discuss issues related to legal access for specific targeted and marginalised groups, or the different areas of law and their impact on marginalised groups, and identify some strategies to resolve the identified issues from these forums.

The topics identified will primarily focus to support us indentify how VLAF can strategically advocate some changes in service delivery models, improve access of legal services provisions, identify joint projects, improve referrals and increase our advocacy capacity.

VLAF has a commitment to publish the discussions, strategies and outcomes of the Legal Assistance Dialogues on the website and distribute the information to the participants. The information will also be widely promoted to the external stakeholders.

Outcomes from Legal Assistance Dialogues

The Legal Assistance Dialogue will assist to develop the following strategies to be taken to the Main Forums of VLAF for consideration:

• Identify effective, sustainable and integrated strategic directions/topics for VLAF and other stakeholders to address;
• Develop a framework for priority setting for addressing issues with timelines;
• Make recommendations to other Working Groups working on similar issues; and
• Provide an opportunity for networking and widely promoting VLAF.

Staff support

VLAF Project Manager will collaborate with relevant staff and students on placement to organise LAD.

Other Resources

Support from private firms and VLAF to host the LAD forums