The Federation of Community Legal Centres offers staff and volunteers at our Member Community Legal Centres opportunities to develop their professional skills throughout the year. We offer diverse training sessions in areas including climate justice, cultural safety, finance, governance, leadership, management, media, and mental health first aid through trusted facilitators.
The Federation appreciates feedback from members as we gauge interest in new sessions of proven training offerings, or to flag new training areas for us to investigate.
Below you will find out how to keep up-to-date with training announcements, training details and upcoming sessions.
Training Communications
If you would like to be kept informed of upcoming learning and development opportunities, please email [email protected] with your name, your CLC, and your contact details.
Those on this list will be assured of hearing about new training sessions as soon as they are announced.
Who can attend?
Most training sessions offered by the Federation are for Federation members only. If you are a staff member, board member, committee of management member, volunteer, or student placement (PLT) at a Community Legal Centre, you are welcome to join our training sessions.
Occasionally, we have the capacity to extend the invitation to additional participants outside the Victorian community legal sector.
CPD Points
Whilst the Federation’s diverse training program contains sessions relevant for more than just the legal staff at Community Legal Centres, many of the training sessions can count towards the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements for Victorian lawyers. Attendance will be recorded by the Federation to ensure all details are noted for any CPD reporting.
CPD obligations are regulated by the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner and their CPD information for lawyers can be found on this page of their website.
Upcoming Training
Climate Justice – 2 sessions
From Melbourne’s CBD to all corners of Victoria and beyond, Climate Justice is a growing issue for CLCs.
In April, the Federation’s Climate Justice Support Unit is offering two new sessions addressing Climate Justice Planning Law.
Planning Law has emerged as a key area of law integral to the realisation of climate justice. Where we live and how we live in a climate changed world determines many other legal needs that community legal centres see each day. Planning law is vital to preparation for and adaptation to climate impacts, such as building in areas likely to be affected by bushfires or flooding. It also determines recovery outcomes from climate disasters, such as use of temporary accommodation.
As planning law becomes more important for communities, understanding planning law basics, as well as its complexity and processes, becomes important for community legal centres. These introductory sessions will combine planning law expertise of Prof Murray Raff with the on the ground experiences and innovations of Gippsland Community Legal Service.
Speakers
Murray Raff, Senior Legal Policy Officer - Climate Justice and Disaster Response, Federation of Community Legal Centres
Simone Elias, Senior Lawyer, Gippsland Community Legal Service
Taylah Alanis, Community Lawyer (Bushfire Recovery), Gippsland Community Legal Service
Key Details
Session 1 – Planning Law Overview
Date: Tuesday 16 April
Time: 10am – 11am
Session 2 – Planning and Disaster
Date: Tuesday 23 April
Time: 10am – 11am
Cost: Free
Delivery: Via Zoom
Full details and Registration can be found here.
Attendees can register their choice to attend one or both sessions during the registration process.
Who can attend?
These sessions will be open to Federation Members (staff, board members, volunteers and students of Victorian CLCs), those from the wider CLC sector and interested parties working on CLC Climate Justice issues.
