(From left: Marcus Ridge, Renee Douglas, Ellie Herbert, Zalene Douglas, LoganRosanoski.)
Rotorua District Community Law Centre is providing much-needed legal information to the community, thanks to a grant from the Rotorua Trust.
The Trust gave $2,762 to the Community Law Centre for the purchase of a data projector, laptop computer and a screen.
The Centre employs two solicitors and one case worker, manager Ellie Herbert and an administration officer making a total of five staff members, and has been operating as a trust in Rotorua for 17 years. The Centre provides free legal services for anybody in the community who cannot afford to pay for a lawyer and who is not eligible for legal aid.
Between 4,000 and 5,000 clients use the centre’s services annually, and Ellie says the need is increasing as more people are becoming unemployed and the economy tightens.
A large range of legal matters is covered by the Centre – from consumer matters, such as debt and finance, employment, tenancy and immigration law through to advice around mediating disputes. Ellie says the impact of legal problems is often compounded by other issues such as family violence, so referrals to and collaborating with other agencies is an important part of their role.
The data projector will play an important role in helping meet the increasing demand for legal information for individuals and community organisations.
Despite the high unmet legal need in the Rotorua district, the Centre is the lowest funded generalist community law centre employing solicitors in the country. The Trust grant has been vital in helping the centre give important legal education and information seminars at any venues in the Rotorua area and for any community groups
or agencies.
“This has a potential to make a big difference in the community, because if people are more aware of their legal rights and responsibilities, then they are less likely to present with legal problems down the track,”
says Ellie.
As part of its preventative thrust, the Centre has also developed a package for senior students in high school to help them with the legal aspects around flatting, buying cars, and employment rights and obligations. This can also be delivered in Te Reo Maori from February 2014 onwards.
The Centre is also participating in discussions over the possible establishment of a community justice panel in Rotorua as an answer to low level offending. It hopes it will bring systemic change to how the people are dealt with in the criminal justice system.
For more information on the work of the Rotorua Community Law Centre, contact:
Ellie Herbert, Manager
07-348 8060