Community development
Community development work applies the skills and knowledge of clinic staff in activities that help build the community's capacity to improve the quality of life of its low-income residents. Part of community development work is helping people, groups, and community-based agencies develop the skills needed to deal with legal problems.
Community development work ensures that clients, potential clients, other community agencies, governments, etc. know about the clinic and its services. As well, community development work helps clinics identify the legal needs of the client community on an on-going basis and ensures that the clinic continues to be part of the community it serves.
Below are some examples of the community development activities by Halton Community Legal Services.
Partnerships with the Halton Multicultural Council and Burlington Counseling and Family Services
These partnerships provide access to clinic law services in Oakville and Burlington. They also enhance the profile of the clinic in those communities by being present in the community.
Halton Violence Prevention Council
The legal clinic joined the council in 2005. Legal clinic staff attends the council meetings and participates in the work of the council. The council received funding to hold a work shop on domestic violence. Additional workshops on Dangerousness Assessment and violence in the context of custody and access disputes have also been sponsored by the Council. For more information on the work of the Council go to www.hvpc.ca
Community Roundtable on Violence
The Executive Director attended a half day roundtable discussion on violence in the community hosted by M.P.P. Kevin Flynn. Domestic violence, violence amongst youth, violence and the elderly and multiculturalism and racism and violence were topics addressed.
Community Development Halton
The legal clinic Executive Director sits on the board of Community Development Halton. This is an independent research, development and social planning organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Halton.
Roundtable on the Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector
The Regional Chairman's roundtable was the culmination of a year long process of community dialogues of volunteers, agency funders and agencies. Agency and funder participants were asked to identify challenges affecting the sector. The roundtable forum was convened in June 2006 to develop a made in Halton approach to continue to develop capacity in the sector to meet the challenges faced. Legal clinic staff participated in both the agency community dialogue and the roundtable.
World Vision Campaign to End Child Poverty
Kerr Street Ministries (KSM) received funding from World Vision for a three year project on Youth Mentoring. As a community partner, we were interviewed by an outside consultant retained by World Vision to conduct an organizational review of KSM. Discussions have also been held with Kerr Street's executive director on how the clinic can provide ongoing support to the mentoring project.
Habitat for Humanity
Georgetown is an active community for Habitat. One house is being built in 2006 with more and a multifamily building project also in the works. The staff lawyer attended an information session for community service professionals to educate community leaders about family selection to better reach those in need of decent affordable housing. Clinic clients are screened for referrals for Habitat housing. |
Contact Us
North Halton
Milton, Georgetown, Acton
905-877-5256
South Halton
Oakville, Burlington
905-875-2069
Teletypewrite
905-877-8223
Fax
905-877-8223
Mailing Address
72 Mill Street, Georgetown
Ontario L7G 2C9 |
