Community Legal Centres, or CLCs, are independent community organisations that provide free legal services to those who need it. CLCs enable a strong collective voice for justice and equality. Find out more.
Community Legal Centres across Victoria provide free legal advice to people experiencing disadvantage. Find a Community Legal Centre.
On this page, you can find recent and past submissions, reports and statements from the Federation of Community Legal Centres. Learn more.
Learn more about our Integrated Practice Toolkit and other resources.
The Federation leads and supports excellence in the community legal sector, promotes the purpose and value of Community Legal Centres, and advances social justice and a fair legal system.
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Originally established in 2000 as a tenancy rights and advocacy service providing support for people at risk of homelessness in the Loddon region, ARC Justice now operates two Community Legal Centres with offices in each of Bendigo and Shepparton, as well as continuing its work to support tenants with Housing Justice.
In 1987, the Welfare Rights Unit, now Social Security Rights Victoria, was founded to meet demand for a Community Legal Centre that specialised in issues relating to social security legislation and its impact on Victorians experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage. Informed by the experience of the Brotherhood of St Laurence’s Unemployment Rights Service, funding was sought from government and philanthropy to establish a service that provided assistance for individuals in need, educated the community on their rights, and advocated for systemic change.
The Women’s Legal Resource Group (now Women’s Legal Service Victoria) was founded in 1982 to challenge and improve the law to better serve women and girls. Lawyers, students, and women interested in the law joined forces to provide drop-in and telephone support for women in crisis and educate women and girls about their rights. It was Australia’s first Women’s Legal Service.
There are Community Legal Centres across Victoria. Click to find your nearest Victorian Community Legal Centre.