Disclaimer: The material in this print-out relates to the law as it applies in the state of Victoria. It is intended as a general guide only. Readers should not act on the basis of any material in this print-out without getting legal advice about their own particular situations. Victoria Legal Aid disclaims any liability howsoever caused to any person in respect of any action taken in reliance on the contents of the publication.

We help Victorians with their legal problems and represent those who need it most. Find legal answers, chat with us online, or call us. You can speak to us in English or ask for an interpreter. You can also find more legal information at www.legalaid.vic.gov.au

Law for helpers

On this page

If the people you help sometimes have legal problems, this resource finder is for you.

It can help you:

  • find training and tools to help you spot and resolve legal issues
  • get information, publications and resources
  • make referrals to legal services.

Anyone can use these resources – you do not need to be a lawyer or work in a legal service.

Workers who are not lawyers can help clients and communities to identify, understand and resolve legal problems. This includes mental health workers, youth workers, family violence workers, social workers, carers, teachers, financial counsellors and others. The Victoria Law Foundation’s Public Understanding of Law Survey confirms that workers who are not lawyers help many people access justice.

Training and tools

Victoria Legal Aid and community legal centres have developed free training, tools and resources for workers.

They include:

Community legal centres sometimes offer customised training sessions for workers. To find your local community legal centre or a specialist service, visit the Federation of Community Legal Centre’s Find a community legal centre.

Disability support pension help

Social Security Rights Victoria has a free resource for disability support pension applicants and their support workers. This online tool helps you understand the disability support pension and guides you through the process.

Visit Social Security Rights Victoria Disability support pension help.

Family violence protection tenancy kit

Tenancy Victoria has a kit for support workers who assist people affected by family violence. The kit supports renters to know their rights, have a secure home and limit any financial loss.

Visit Tenants Victoria’s Family violence protection tenancy kit.

Family violence resources for workers

Peninsula Community Legal Centre has short courses for workers supporting victim-survivors of family violence. This includes videos, fact sheets and links to further information.

Visit Peninsula Community Legal Centre’s Resources for workers supporting victim survivors of family violence.

Guide to safety

Peninsula Community Legal Centre has a tool for community workers in Victoria who support clients on a temporary visa experiencing family violence. The tool has information on family violence and migration, including how clients can safely leave relationships and get migration assistance.

Visit Peninsula Community Legal Centre’s Guide to safety.

Law for community workers

Barwon Community Legal Centre has developed online training modules to help workers support clients with legal issues.

These modules can help you:

  • spot a legal issue
  • conduct a ‘legal health check’
  • connect your client to legal help
  • support your client through the legal process.

Barwon Community Legal Centre also offers virtual workshops on a variety of legal topics.

Visit Barwon Community Legal Centre’s Law for community workers.

Social security debt help

Socia Security Rights Victoria has a free resource to help understand Centrelink debts. You can use this resource to help someone with a Centrelink debt.

Visit Social Security Rights Victoria Social security debt help

The law handbook

Fitzroy Legal Service has a free online version of its comprehensive and practical guide for law in Victoria. The handbook covers more than 90 common legal topics.

Visit Fitzroy Legal Service’s The law handbook.

Worker resources and toolkits

Consumer Action Law Centre has resources and toolkits to support clients with a range of consumer and financial issues. This includes toolkits on NDIS debts and many types of loans, and template letters for debt collection, consumer leases and loans.

Visit Consumer Action Law Centre’s Workers Resources and Toolkits.

Workers’ resource hub

Justice Connect has a resource hub for workers who help people facing homelessness. These resources can help you support clients with legal issues relating to:

  • housing and tenancy
  • fines and infringements
  • consumer debt
  • criminal law and intervention orders.

The hub also has referral information for people facing homelessness.

Visit Justice Connect’s Workers’ resource hub.

Information, publications and resources

Victoria Legal Aid has more than 100 free Publications and resources you can download or order. This includes education kits, posters, booklets and wallet cards. Some are available in multiple languages and Easy English.

For more information on a variety of legal topics, visit I need legal information about.

You may need to refer someone to a legal service for more information and help. This section has information and resources on how to contact:

  • complaint and dispute resolution services
  • Victoria Legal Aid
  • community legal centres
  • private lawyers.

Law help guide

Victoria Legal Aid has a free guide to help Victorians find the right help for their legal problems. It has information about ombudsmen, complaint and dispute resolution services and legal services.

To download or order free copies, visit Law help guide.

Victoria Legal Aid has information about the law and gives free legal advice to people who need it most. For more information, visit How we can help.

Community legal centres are independent community organisations that provide free legal services to those who need it.

To search for a community legal centre, visit the Federation of Community Legal Centre’s Find a community legal centre.

Private lawyers

The Law Institute of Victoria has a referral service to help find a law firm.

Visit the Law Institute of Victoria’s Find your lawyer referral service.

The Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner has made a short video and Easy English fact sheet listing six questions to ask about legal costs before hiring a private lawyer.

Visit the Victorian Legal Services Board + Commissioner’s Six questions to ask about legal costs.

Contact us

Please contact us if you have any queries or resources you would like us to add to this toolkit.

Email cle@vla.vic.gov.au or call (03) 9269 0234 and ask for Community Legal Education.

Stay up-to-date

Please bookmark this webpage. We will update it when new resources become available.

For updates on our publications and resources, subscribe to our Community Legal Education Update.

Acknowledgement

Thank you to Barwon Community Legal Centre for suggesting this resource finder. We are also grateful for the feedback and support of: Justice Connect, Peninsula Community Legal Centre, Fitzroy Legal Service, Victoria Law Foundation, the Federation of Community Legal Centres and its Community Development and Community Legal Education Working Group.

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