Fairer communities

Outcome 1

Prioritise local solutions specific to community needs

We establish relationships with key stakeholders in government, health and community services across our regions. We are working collaboratively across our 13 local government areas to deliver initiatives for targeted priority groups.

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In 2023, we introduced community engagement expertise, which has led to considerable gains in connecting with community members. We have increased the awareness of ARC Justice’s services and represented ARC in forums with other key stakeholders.

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To achieve this outcome, we will track:

  • Quantity and quality of engagement with key community groups, ensuring representations of diverse stakeholders.
  • Quantity and quality of collaborations with priority group representatives addressing identified areas of legal need.

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Since our collaboration with the Centre for Non-Violence (CNV) in Echuca launched in 2018, demand for ARC’s services has grown from ad-hoc court appearances to a heavily booked schedule, underscoring the critical need for accessible legal support in Echuca. Read more about our Family Violence Justice Partnership with CNV.

Case studyNext outcome
13
local government areas
8
strategic partnerships
50
community legal education sessions
191
stakeholder activities

Outcome 2

Increased inclusiveness and geographical reach of our services

We are committed to engaging with communities to improve knowledge of and access to our services, using targeted communications to strengthen these connections.

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Our service design, community engagement and strategic communications are leading to increased services to communities including those further away from our main offices in Bendigo and Shepparton.

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To achieve this outcome, we will track:

  • Changes in service provision in response to strategic communications and engagement activities.
  • Geographic reach of services and the alignment to area population data and need.

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We value opportunities to engage with communities in the places they find accessible and recognise the importance of partnering with trusted local organisations. Read more about our work supporting community members in Seymour who were impacted by the 2022 floods.

Heat map showing service locations by local government area.

Co-location model proves powerful in Echuca

The Family Violence Justice Partnership – which includes an ARC Justice lawyer spending a day a week at the Centre for Non-Violence (CNV) in Echuca – has enhanced support for victim-survivors in the past year.

The project has enabled ARC Justice lawyer Roweena Ilsley, as well as other ARC lawyers, to provide legal help to 103 clients across the Campaspe region, primarily women experiencing family violence who would otherwise face significant barriers to justice.

ARC lawyers take referrals from not only CNV staff in Echuca, but also two other co-located organisations – The Orange Door and Anglicare Victoria. This co-location model has created an efficient referral system, allowing clients to access multiple forms of support in one place.

In the past 12 months, Roweena and other lawyers have helped clients with family violence intervention orders and other related legal issues, including family law and child protection. ARC frequently represents clients in court, guiding them through the legal process and helping them obtain protective orders.

In addition to scheduled appointments and court appearances, the lawyers work directly with CNV staff so they can help them identify when a client has a legal issue, make timely referrals and understand legal processes so they can best support their clients.

A woman dressed in black sits on a bench outside, with greenery in background.
ARC Justice lawyer Roweena Ilsley.

Face-to-face support delivered in Seymour

After the devastating floods of late 2022, ARC Justice was invited to be part of Mitchell Shire Council’s Seymour Recovery Hub to support flood-hit residents. Many were struggling with insurance issues.
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Setting up a fortnightly presence at the hub, ARC Justice worked alongside Emergency Recovery Victoria, Goulburn Flood Recovery Service, Nexus Primary Health, Mind Australia and other services to help flood-hit locals navigate the world of insurance.

ARC Justice’s Community Engagement Leads offered hands-on support to households facing issues like repair delays, poor communication from insurers, work quality concerns and confusion over pre-existing damage, as well as the complaints process.

Many residents arrived at the hub worried and overwhelmed, sometimes with piles of correspondence with their insurance company.
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ARC Justice also delivered three community legal education sessions on insurance, helping locals understand the claim process and their rights, as well as the complaints process. Two sessions were held online, with another taking place in-person at the hub.

Through this support, ARC Justice aimed to help residents gain clarity, offering practical steps to move forward. This initiative highlights ARC Justice’s commitment to standing by rural Victorians during challenging times, despite geography, ensuring they know where to turn and how to tackle post-disaster recovery hurdles.

A presenter speaking to attendees at a workshop, with a presentation slide titled 'Identify the issue' displayed on a screen, in a conference room with round tables and natural light.
ARC Justice Community Engagement Lead Peter Coles presents a “Storms, Floods, Insurance and You” information session.