VLAF Online Information Working Group
Guidelines - Final
The best practice guidelines for the development and maintenance of community legal information in Victoria were recently developed by our Online Legal Information Working Group to improve the quality of online community legal information. You can download the guidelines and supporting resources from the Victoria Law Foundation’s website or under the resources tab.
You can email your comments to Joh Kirby, Executive Director of the Victoria Law Foundation jkirby@victorialawfoundation.org.au
Background
On 29 January 2013 the Attorney-General, Robert Clarke wrote to VLAF asking them to consider establishing an Online Legal Information Working Group. This followed a forum held on 6 December 2013 which drew together key legal bodies to look at how better to coordinate online legal information. One of the outcomes of this meeting was the recommendation to establish an ongoing working group.
VLAF established the Working Group in May 2013.
Aims and objectives
Aim
The aim of the working group is to provide opportunities for collaboration and resource sharing among legal information providers in Victoria leading to better coordination of the development of online and hardcopy legal information across the sector.
Objectives
It will do this through:
- Establishing best practice guidelines that set out standards for the development and distribution of resources that reduce duplication and improve efficiency.
- Make available reference tools that will assist organisations to prepare better quality legal information and share expertise and knowledge across the sector.
- Encourage grant makers to require compliance with these tools to all grant applicants producing legal information.
- Produce a newsletter twice a year that lists projects in development or that have been launched.
- Where required running information sessions to allow information sharing.
General
Host agency
Victoria Law Foundation
Chair of working group
Joh Kirby, Executive Director, Victoria Law Foundation
Aim of the working group
Promote better coordination of the development of online and hardcopy legal information across the sector.
Who are the potential collaborative partners
All organisations that produce legal information for the community in Victoria.
What process or action needs to take place
Development of guidelines and information sharing structures.
How long will it take
Working Group to report to VLAF November 2013 and March 2014.
Terms of Reference
This working group will take the lead on a number of issues in the legal sector that need a focussed and joint approach from VLAF. This includes:
- Establishing best practice guidelines that set out standards for the development and distribution of resources that reduce duplication and improve efficiency.
- Make available reference tools that will assist organisations to prepare better quality legal information and share expertise and knowledge across the sector.
- Promote these tools across the sector and encourage compliance, including from recipients from legal sector grants.
- Share information on current projects that are either in development of recently completed through:
- Bi-annual e-newsletter.
- Information sharing forum.
Working Group member organisations
Victoria Law Foundation
Federation of Community Legal Centres
Fitzroy Legal Service
Department of Justice
Law Library of Victoria Project
Victoria Legal Aid
Law Insitute of Victoria
VLAF Coordinator
Timeline for achieving the goals of the working group
The working group will aim to meets its objectives as follows:
- September 2013 - Establishing best practice guidelines that set out standards for the development and distribution of resources that reduce duplication and improve efficiency.
- September 2014 - Make available reference tools that will assist organisations to prepare better quality legal information and share expertise and knowledge across the sector.
- October 2013 to March 2014 - Promote these tools across the sector and encourage compliance, including from recipients from legal sector grants.
- Ongoing (may fall to host agency after June 2014) - Share information on current projects that are either in development of recently completed through:
- Bi-annual e-newsletter.
- Information sharing forum.
