Victorian Legal Assistance Action Plan 2022-2025

• DJCS: Department of Justice and Community Safety
• VLA: Victoria Legal Aid - www.legalaid.vic.gov.au (External link)
• FCLC: Federation of Community Legal Centres - www.fclc.org.au (External link)
• CLCs: Community Legal Centres - www.fclc.org.au/find_a_community_legal_centre (External link)
• VALS: Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service – www.vals.org.au (External link)
• Djirra: Family Violence Prevention Legal Services – www.djirra.org.au (External link)
• VLF: Victoria Law Foundation – www.victorialawfoundation.org.au (External link)
• KJU: DJCS Aboriginal Justice, Koori Justice Unit
• ALS: Aboriginal Legal Services (VALS and Djirra)
• AJF: Aboriginal Justice Forum - https://www.aboriginaljustice.vic.gov.au/the-aboriginal-justice-forum (External link)
• AJC: Aboriginal Justice Caucus - https://www.aboriginaljustice.vic.gov.au/aboriginal-justice-caucus (External link)
• LIV: Law Institute of Victoria – www.liv.asn.au (External link)
• Vic Bar: Victorian Bar – www.vicbar.com.au (External link)
• CPC: Collaborative Planning Committee established and chaired by VLA 12

Action

Clarity of roles and relationships. This involves:

• mapping current governance arrangements 
• referencing VLA’s Collaborative Planning Committee evaluation outcomes, and
• identifying how elements support collaborative planning and initiatives (including NLAP requirements).

Strategic priority

Transparency and accountability.

Strategic outcome

Clear roles and relationships in a robust and accountable legal assistance sector.

Lead

DJCS

Start

Quarter 2 – 2022-23

Deliverables

Governance structure that supports sector collaboration and identifies key roles of service providers, DJCS and relevant committees and forums.

Action

Funding framework to develop principles to support funding for service providers, with secondary frameworks to cover funding to CLCs, VLA and ALS.

The framework will be completed in phases with project plans developed for each phase. Individual project plans will be developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders outlining the scope, actions and outcomes.

Strategic priority

Transparency and accountability.

Strategic outcome

• Initial work towards transparent funding allocation which aligns legal need and best practice service models for defined outcomes.
• Defining a baseline of essential legal assistance services Victoria-wide.

Lead

DJCS

Start

Quarter 2 – 2022-23

Deliverables

A framework to inform funding decisions that provides:

• strong evidence on the funding required to address legal need and inform funding decisions
• evidence to better demonstrate the cost of delivering legal outcomes through CLCs to disadvantaged Victorians, and
• a baseline of community legal services required to address legal need specific to locations.

This framework will reference other projects under this action plan including work on the Legal Needs Analysis, service and legal need data, workforce sustainability and intersections with systems.

Action

Legal Need Analysis

• Map and draw together current projects and identify how each will contribute to the broader LNA framework.
• Analyse service demand across practice areas within regions and within communities.
• Facilitate collaborative planning discussions to assist in developing service delivery framework focused on client experience and legal need.

Strategic priority

• Legal need and client experience inform service delivery.
• Legal assistance service models that meet identified need.

Strategic outcome

• A unified direction for the delivery of legal assistance services in Victoria.
• Defining a baseline of essential legal services Victoria-wide.

​​​​​​Lead

DJCS

Start

Quarter 2 – 2022-23.

Note: initial work on mapping current projects is underway.

Deliverables

A report that draws on work from across the sector and identifies the scope and nature of legal need across Victoria.

Subject matter experts and priority areas will identify the varying intersecting needs between priority areas and groups, as well as intersections with different government systems and jurisdictions.

The LNA will provide focus on how early intervention approaches can prevent the escalation of legal and other problems.

The LNA will assist in identifying gaps in service delivery and provide strong evidence to support decision making on how government funding is allocated across the sector and inform service design planning.

Action

The VLF Public Understanding Law Survey (PULS) is a Victoria-wide survey exploring how people experience, understand and navigate law and everyday life problems.

Strategic priority

• Legal need and client experience inform service delivery.
• Legal assistance service models that meet identified need.​​

Strategic outcome

• A unified direction for the delivery of legal assistance services in Victoria.
• Defining a baseline of essential legal services Victoria-wide.

​​​​​​Lead

VLF

Start

Underway

Deliverables

A report that identifies the scope and nature of legal need across Victoria. It will also explore the legal capability of Victorians.

Action

Aboriginal Legal Assistance Strategy

Strategic priority

Targeting culturally safe and appropriate legal services to priority client groups.

Strategic outcome

• Culturally safe and appropriate legal services for First Nations people.
• Transparent funding allocation aligns legal need and best practice model service models for defined outcomes.

​​​​​​Lead

ALS led, DJCS support.

Start

Scoping to commence Quarter 2 – 2022-23.

Deliverables

• A framework to support the delivery of culturally safe and appropriate legal assistance services to First Nations people.
• Sector led with DJCS support and consultation with Aboriginal Justice stakeholders such as AJC, will be an essential component.
• Will be informed by specific elements from the funding framework and Legal Need Analysis, as well as broader sector and Aboriginal community consultation.

Action

Working with the sector to improve technological innovation.

Strategic priority

Continuous learning and improvement.

Strategic outcome

• Defining a baseline of essential legal assistance services Victoria-wide.
• Enables sector to improve service delivery (supporting best practice service models).

​​​​​​Lead

Sector-led projects. Specific projects to be attributed.

Start

Current projects underway.

Deliverables

A sector that utilises innovative technology where appropriate to deliver services to the most disadvantaged. This work is ongoing.

Action

VLA will leverage technology and data to significantly improve client service, productivity and access to justice.

Strategic priority

Continuous learning and improvement.

Strategic outcome

• Defining a baseline of essential legal assistance services Victoria-wide.
• Enables sector to improve service delivery (supporting best practice service models).

​​​​​​Lead

VLA

Start

Underway. Project end date is December 2023.

Action

Drive increased usage of modern case management system, develop a data strategy for CLCs and strengthen central data repository.

Strategic priority

Continuous learning and improvement.

Strategic outcome

• Defining a baseline of essential legal assistance services Victoria-wide.
• Enables sector to improve service delivery (supporting best practice service models).​​​​​​

Lead

FCLC

Deliverables

Support the CLC sector to build capability to conduct effective legal need analysis.

Action

Working with the sector to improve data quality.

• Map current projects and identify how each will contribute to the broader data work.
• This work will be supported by a working group.

Strategic priority

• Transparency and accountability.
• Client experience informs service delivery.

Strategic outcome

Defined and measurable outcomes of legal assistance supported by a strong evidence base.

​​​​​​Lead

Sector-led projects. Specific projects to be attributed.

Start

Some projects are currently underway.

Deliverables

A framework that will support the sector with improved data collection and recording practices to contribute to a strong evidence base of legal assistance services in Victoria. This work will be ongoing.

Action

VLF Data Mapping project: three tranches investigating the use and utility of administrative data held across the justice sector to identify the type of data currently collected and what it is used for:

• Legal assistance sector (External link)
• Courts and tribunals (External link)
• Complaint and dispute resolution bodies.

Strategic priority

• Transparency and accountability.
• Client experience informs service delivery.

Strategic outcome

Defined and measurable outcomes of legal assistance supported by a strong evidence base.

​​​​​​Lead

VLF

Start

Underway

Deliverables

Final report drawing threads from all three reports.

Action

Governance and terms of reference for the working group will be prepared in consultation with members.

Strategic priority

Transparency and accountability.

Strategic outcome

Defined and measurable outcomes of legal assistance supported by a strong evidence base.

​​​​​​Lead

DJCS / VLF

Start

Q3 2022-23

Deliverables

• Consistent meetings of the working group.
• A sector that is supported by better data to contribute to a strong evidence base of legal assistance services in Victoria.
• Note pilot work under CPC in testing survey questions to support consistent outcomes measures.
• Data sovereignty will be a key consideration reflecting current work underway.

Action

• Demonstrate impact of early intervention in legal issues, and how the outcome has a collective impact.
• Improve data quality.
• Understand barriers in these projects.

Strategic priority

• Legal need and client experience informs service delivery.
• Collaborative and integrated approaches to deliver outcomes.

Strategic outcome

Defined and measurable outcomes of legal assistance supported by a strong evidence base.

​​​​​​Lead

DJCS

Start

In progress.

Deliverables

A model identifying:

• the collective impact and effectiveness that funded services have in their communities
• innovative methods in delivery of legal services to communities, and
• funded services making justice more accessible.

Action

• Work with the sector to build an understanding of the particular workforce challenges experienced, taking into account specific needs of regions.
• Build/maintain a strong and resilient sector.
• Develop picture of domain expertise (SWOT) including opportunities for uplift and where capacity is threatened.

Strategic priority

Sustainable and resilient legal assistance sector.

Strategic outcome

Enabler to achieve vision of a resilient and sustainable legal assistance sector.

​​​​​​Lead

Sector-led projects. Specific projects to be attributed.

Start

In progress.

Deliverables

A consolidation of evidence to identify workforce challenges and issues that affect recruitment and retention of staff including:

• health and wellbeing and impacts of vicarious trauma
• the impact of short-term funding particularly on CLCs and challenges in recruiting senior staff - roles are often filled with junior staff requiring training and more supervision
• wage increase and indexation impacts.

Input into Funding Framework.

Action

VLF/FCLC workforce project identifying:

• workforce profile (External link)
• the impact of COVID on services and clients (External link)
• the value of legal education in community lawyering (External link), and
• recruitment and retention of staff in CLCs (forthcoming).

Strategic outcome

Enabler to achieve vision of a resilient and sustainable legal assistance sector.

​​​​​​Lead

Sector-led projects. Specific projects to be attributed.

Start

In progress.

Deliverables

Four reports building on the value proposition for legal and community services careers in the CLC sector.

Action

• Working with the sector to create and provide intersectional services to assist clients with holistic support.
• Build on and expand integrated service delivery models.

Strategic priority

Targeting legal services to priority client groups.

Strategic outcome

Enables services to provide holistic services to clients collaborative and integrated approaches.

​​​​​​Lead

DJCS

Start

2023-24

Deliverables

Note work of Better, Connected Care and Putting Families First Pilot.

Action

Legal assistance recognised as core element of improved social systems design:

• Develop principles for system design to minimise and meet legal need.
• WOVG resources about legal need in system design, how to minimise and meet need, including embedding legal assistance.

Strategic priority

Collaborative and integrated approach to deliver outcomes.

Strategic outcome

• Government systems design is informed by access to justice principles and legal assistance.
• Government systems are reviewed with reference to legal need.

​​​​​​Lead

DJCS

Start

2023-24

Deliverables

• Legal assistance is considered in system design.
• Unmet legal need due to failure to consider access to justice or legal assistance in system design is reduced.