2024 Community Legal Centres Queensland Annual Report
Click here to read to 2024 Community Legal Centres Queensland Annual Report.
This year marked a significant milestone for community legal centres in Queensland, as the state government made its first substantial investment in many years.
The Queensland Government allocated $14.4 million over 12 months to support workforce development and assist CLCs in transitioning to new databases. A significant catalyst for this investment was the data
on the workforce crisis facing community legal centres which Community Legal Centres Queensland gathered from our sector and included in our budget proposal.
Our inaugural workforce survey confirmed the concerning trends we had heard anecdotally: stark pay disparities between community legal centres and Legal Aid; the loss of experienced staff due to limited career opportunities leading to a “hollowing out” of our workforce; and the mounting pressures from the rising cost of living.
Looking ahead to 2024-25, our primary challenge will be to secure ongoing funding for workforce uplift under the new national partnership arrangements for the next five years. We are eager to share the positive impact of this investment for our members and the communities they serve.
We are particularly proud of our inaugural event for First Nations community legal centre employees, Wunya. Special thanks to Sammy Cooper and Leah Lane for their dedication and creativity in creating a space where attendees felt acknowledged, supported, and valued. This event is rapidly becoming a cherished annual gathering, and we look forward to being able to continue it in 2024-25.
Another highlight this year was the Climate and Disaster Resilience project, which showcased how targeted resources and expertise can empower community legal centres to tackle shared challenges within their communities. We extend our gratitude to Monica Taylor for leading this initiative and developing comprehensive resources that will prove invaluable to community legal centres in the future.
The achievements of Community Legal Centres Queensland this year were made possible through the collective efforts of our dedicated staff and management committee.
It’s a testament to our team’s capabilities that our members and stakeholders often express surprise at our small size. We remain ambitious for our members and are committed to securing sustainable funding for Queensland community legal centres and the communities they serve in the year ahead.
Community Legal Centres Queensland Impact Report 2023.
The 2023 Impact Report tells the story of the dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment to advancing access to justice and championing the rights of individuals and communities that is at the heart of Queensland’s 32 Community Legal Centres.
In a world where legal challenges can be daunting and the barriers to justice seem insurmountable, Community Legal Centres continue to provide access to quality legal services regardless of a person’s background.
Queensland’s Community Legal Centres help people who cannot afford a lawyer or are unable to get legal aid. They support people with a wide range of legal problems including family and domestic violence, relationship breakdown, employment issues, debt, consumer problems and tenancy disputes. As well as helping individuals with legal problems, Community Legal Centres work to prevent problems arising by providing legal education, and through working with government and other bodies to improve unfair laws and processes.
Throughout the pages of this report, you will discover the significant impact Community Legal Centres have made over the past year. You will read stories of individuals whose lives have been transformed through our legal advocacy, education programs and community outreach initiatives. You will see the results of our collective efforts to promote fairness, equity, and social justice in communities around Queensland.
As we reflect on the achievements and challenges of the past year, we are also setting our sights on the future. Our commitment to our mission to lead and support Queensland Community Legal Centres remains steadfast and we are more determined than ever to create a more just, equitable and inclusive Queensland for all.
2023 Impact Report
As the peak body, Community Legal Centres Queensland provides a voice for the sector. We lead and support 32 independent Community Legal Centres to deliver quality and accessible services people experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage.
Download a copy of the Community Legal Centres Queensland Impact Report 2023 here.
Impact on Clients
Community Legal Centres make a difference to a diverse range of Queenslander’s lives everyday.
To measure the impact on the clients of Queensland’s Community Legal Centres we analysed survey results from each of our member centres and real-life stories from people supported by our centres.
The client survey results and case studies demonstrate that Queensland Community Legal Centres are providing appropriate and effective services to Queenslanders, and they are making a difference to people by improving their safety, wellbeing and inclusion. Services are client and community-focused and the overall high degree of client satisfaction indicates that Queensland Community Legal Centres are vital social infrastructure.
Making a difference to clients
Community Legal Centres Queensland coordinated a survey of 1,489 Community Legal Centre clients in May 2023.
Analysis of the data indicated a very high satisfaction rate across the survey sample, with the average satisfaction score across all clients being three out of four.
The survey results indicate high levels of strong agreement or agreement to questions that link to the intermediate service delivery outcomes for clients, being that they felt:
- they had their matter properly heard and adjudicated
- confident in their legal representation
- they know how to get help in the future
Client Stories
The stories of Aleasha, Lila, Sally, Nigel, Claire, Eli, Ahmed, Amy and Susan profile community legal centre’s representation work and provide a powerful insight into the impact of the work of Community Legal Centres. There are hundreds of stories just like these. (All names have been changed to protect the identity of the clients.)
Impact on community
Working with the community is a critical to the impact of Community Legal Centres. Engagement with community partners and the broader community increases access to legal information and education and ensures there is a more joined up response to meeting legal needs.
Impact on the justice system and laws
Community Legal Centres contribute to effective policy and laws to create positive change in the community. They engage and collaborate with organisations in the justice system to make them more effective, efficient and fair. Justice system partners are courts and tribunals, government (elected, departmental, statutory agencies and government services) and other legal assistance services.
Supporting the Community Legal Centre Sector
Community Legal Centres Queensland is the peak body representing the 32 independent, community-led community legal centres operating across Queensland, including rural and remote areas.
Established in 1993, our mission is to work with our centres towards a fair and just Queensland. We work with Queensland community legal centres to:
- continually improve organisational sustainability and service quality
- increase the accessibility, profile, and resourcing of the sector
- to unite around common objectives to bring about change