Celebrating 50 years of community in law
#50for50
This year Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC) celebrates 50 years of building a more fair and equitable justice system for people and communities experiencing vulnerability in the East. With your support, we can ensure that free legal advice, representation and education continues for another 50 years. Join us in making a difference.
Our vision
Human Rights I Fairness I Justice
The legal system is complex and hard to navigate. It can be challenging for people to make informed choices without professional legal help. More often then not those most in need cannot afford lawyers and do not qualify for legal aid. This is where a community legal centre can help.
At Eastern Community Legal Centre we believe legal rights are human rights. By helping people resolve their legal problems early, it can avoid significant costs, improve an individual's wellbeing and alleviate pressures on other parts of their life.
Our work
More than legal help
ECLC has become a national leader in how it provides legal support for those impacted by family violence, elder abuse and disasters or extreme weather. Our multi-tier approach includes education in the community, combining professional practices, working hand-in-hand with health services and training our community partners. Furthermore, ECLC staff and volunteers are trained to provide a trauma-informed response and work across the continuum of primary prevention, early intervention and crisis response.
Family Violence
ECLC provides early intervention, advice and representation for families impacted or at risk of family violence. 70% of the clients we see fall under this category.
Elder Abuse
ECLC is a national leader in prevention and response work related to the rise of elder abuse in conjunction with health and community partners.
Complex Needs
ECLC understands the inter-related legal and support needs for community members with complex lives and uses a holistic approach to empower clients to overcome their legal problems.
Our impact in the community
Providing legal help
Preventing legal problems
ECLC recognises that problems in people’s lives are intersecting and rarely have only a legal component. To meet this need, the Centre was one of the first in Australia to deliver services in a progressive and innovative way. Every year we help community members with legal issues impacting their lives.
2,600
Provided over 2,600 legal services to the community, giving priority to those impacted by family violence, homelessness, elder abuse and mental illness.
5,700
Responded to over 5,700 phone calls, emails or in-person enquiries to help people navigate their legal issues.
1,500
Arranged over 1,500 appointments with a community lawyer, social worker or financial counsellor.
70%
70% of beneficiaries supported are experiencing or at risk of family violence.
Community in law since '74
Over the last 50 years, ECLC has grown from a grassroots movement to becoming a leader in the community legal sector. The Centre would not have reached this milestone had it not been for the incredible contributions that volunteers and partners have made to the Centre’s success, over that time.
But there is a deepening crisis in legal help. Currently ECLC is unable to meet demand in the community and regularly has no choice but to refer people away who desperately need support.
A donation today can help build our capacity, ensure our autonomy and keep true to our mission.
If you can make a donation today, your generosity will;