Community Legal Centres Queensland Inc

Community Legal Centres Queensland Inc (CLCQ) is a nonprofit peak body organization that supports and advocates for community legal centres (CLCs) across Queensland, Australia. It represents and assists 32 independent, community-led legal centres that provide free legal information, assistance, referral, representation, community education, and advocacy for vulnerable individuals and communities facing legal issues.

Overview

Community Legal Centres Queensland operates as an incorporated association with a small dedicated staff team, alongside the committed involvement of workers and volunteers from member community legal centres. The organization coordinates support services for its members, including training, state conferences, management assistance, and the administration of professional indemnity insurance schemes. It also plays a key role in representing the sector on funding, law reform, and resourcing matters.

Objectives

The key objectives of Community Legal Centres Queensland include:

• Enhancing the sustainability and quality of services provided by Queensland CLCs.
• Increasing the accessibility, profile, and resources available to the sector.
• Uniting member centres around common goals to influence legal and social change.
• Encouraging community participation to make the legal system more equitable and accessible.
• Promoting community involvement in the work and management of community legal centres.

Services and Activities

Community Legal Centres Queensland provides:

• Advocacy and representation for member centres in relation to government funding and law reform.
• Coordination of state administration of the national professional indemnity insurance scheme for CLCs.
• Organizing an annual state conference and professional development training.
• Dissemination of regular bulletins on issues relevant to CLC staff, volunteers, and management.
• Support for community legal education and efforts to improve the justice system’s accessibility for marginalized groups.

Role Within the Legal Aid System

Community Legal Centres Queensland and its member centres operate as a vital component of Queensland’s legal aid system. They complement services provided by Legal Aid Queensland and the private legal profession by offering specialized and generalist legal services to disadvantaged and vulnerable populations at no cost. CLCs commonly focus on areas such as family law, tenancy, discrimination, migration, and other social justice issues.

Each community legal centre is managed independently, frequently governed by volunteer management committees drawn from the local community. Funding for CLCs typically comes from state and federal government grants, and community legal centres do not charge for their legal services.

Significance

As a peak body, Community Legal Centres Queensland strengthens the capacity of community legal centres throughout the state, ensuring they remain responsive to emerging legal needs and continue to provide equitable, accessible legal assistance to Queenslanders who are otherwise unable to afford legal help.

Community Legal Centres Queensland Inc continues to play a crucial role in ensuring justice and legal support are available to marginalized and vulnerable communities across Queensland, fostering collaboration and sustainability within the community legal sector.

[1] https://www.communitylegalqld.org.au/about-us/ [2] https://www.communitylegalqld.org.au [3] https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/6dcbc537-39af-e811-a962-000d3ad24a0d/profile [4] https://www.youandthelaw.com.au/Support/Community-legal-centres [5] https://www.legalaid.qld.gov.au/About-us/Policies-and-procedures/Grants-Handbook/Service-providers/Community-Legal-Centres