LSS Social Justice Links
The SJ Links are listed under the following themes:
Arts| Asylum Seeker/Refugee | Community Legal Centres | Children| Development | Environment | Human Rights | Indigenous |General | Funding Opportunities
3CR RADIO
3CR is a community radio station based in Fitzroy, Melbourne. The station encourages activist programming, from organisations involved in community-building activities. It offers free training opportunities.
Website: http://www.3cr.org.au/
HUMAN RIGHTS ARTS AND FILM FESTIVAL
HRAFF is a not for profit, volunteer run organisation created for the purpose of establishing an annual human rights festival in Australia.
Website: http://www.hraff.org.au/
BOATPEOPLE.ORG
Boat people dot org is an activist arts collective that was set up in response to the ‘queue jumper’ rhetoric that surrounded the Tampa refugees in 2001. Through activist art installations, performances and the circulation of an ‘activist toolkit,’ the crew at boat people seek to subvert xenophobia and race tension in Australia.
Website: http://www.boat-people.org/
FOOTSCRAY COMMUNITY ARTS CENTRE
The Footscray Community Arts Centre fosters and funds projects that utilise arts in community-building. Throughout the year, the Arts Centre has exhibitions and talks throughout the year from artists-in-residence.
Website: http://www.footscrayarts.com/
RIGHTNOW and RIGHTNOW RADIO
RightNow is a cross-disciplinary magazine that aims to broaden the human rights dialogue in Australia. In addition to articles and commentaries, RightNow seeks submissions of creative writing and artwork that touch on human rights.
Website: http://www.rightnow.org/
In line with its aim to broaden the human rights dialogue, RightNow is currently seeking to branch into alternative media including radio. RightNow Radio will be broadcast on 3CR in late 2008. At present, the RightNow crew are seeking expressions of interest from potential volunteer researchers/ assistants to help out with the pilot radio program.
Contact: info@rightnow.org.
BORDERLANDS E-JOURNAL
Borderlands is an interdisciplinary e-journal that fosters work on radical and alternative futures in the humanities. The e-journal encourages submissions of artwork, prose and literature that move beyond the conventional, essayistic style.
Website: http://www.borderlands.net.au/
A Just Australia
A Just Australia is a national campaign for just policies and programs for refugees and asylum seekers, coordinated by national policy lobby group, Australians for Just Refugee Programs Inc.
Website: http://www.ajustaustralia.com/home.php
ASYLUM SEEKER PROJECT - HOTHAM MISSION
Contributing to the development of a comprehensive framework of support and ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for asylum seekers without any entitlements in Victoria.
Website: www.asp.hothammission.org.au
ASYLUM SEEKER RESOURCE CENTRE
The Asylum Seekers Resource Centre provides a range of services to refugees. Their work spans across a range of vital areas including health care, legal assistance and resettlement. Also check out their excellent catering service.
Website: www.asrc.org.au
AsylumSister
AsylumSister is a fair trade fashion project from Buduburam Refugee Camp, Ghana. Programs focus on justice and empowerment to allow refugee women to work themselves out of poverty. Jessie Smith, a final year Law student at the University of Melbourne, currently co-ordinates the program.
Website: www.asylumsister.org
REFUGEE IMMIGRATION LEGAL CANTRE
RILC is a non-profit centre legal and referral service for refugees in the Melbourne area. Website: www.rilc.org.au
SPARE LAWYERS FOR REFUGEES
Spare Lawyers for Refugees is a non-profit support and advocacy network for people held in Australian immigration detention centres. The "Spare Lawyers" are members of Australia's legal community who donate their time and expertise to assist asylum seekers to Australia.
Website: www.sparelawyers.com
SPARE ROOMS FOR REFUGEES
Spare Rooms provides a lay network of people who provide practical support to refugees and asylum seekers who have endured Australia's mandatory detention policy. Spare Rooms supporters write letters, send supplies and may even host detainees after their release from immigration detention.
Website: www.spareroomsforrefugees.com
SUDANESE AUSTRALIAN INTEGRATED LEARNING PROGRAM
The SAIL Program is a non-profit, volunteer-run, secular organization that provides free community services to Melbourne's Sudanese refugee community. Get involved as a volunteer teacher or teaching assistant.
Website: www.sailprogram.cjb.net
Community Legal Centres (CLCs) are not-for-profit legal services that operate independently of the government and private legal sector. They aim to improve access to justice for communities with limited means, though the provision of free legal advice and casework, community legal education and legal reform projects. There are over 50 CLCs operating throughout Victoria.
The following is a list of specialist and general CLCs operating in the vicinity of Melbourne University. For a more comprehensive list of CLCs in Victoria, click here or see http://www.communitylaw.org.au/.
CLCs frequently look for student volunteers to assist with administrative, casework or research tasks. Volunteering at a CLC is an excellent way to gain exposure to busy legal practice, and multiple areas of law including civil, criminal and family law. Many of the sites listed below have ‘volunteering and careers’ pages.
However, for the current information regarding CLC volunteering opportunities, click here or visit www.lawvolunteers.org.au.
Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC)
CALC advocates on behalf of Victorian consumers, especially the more economically marginalised consumers.
Website: http://www.consumeraction.org.au/
Disability Discrimination Legal Service (DDLS)
A specialist CLC that seeks to eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities in Victoria. In addition to providing individual casework, DDLS also provides legal education to communities and organisations on the rights of disabled individuals under the Disability Discrimination Act and Equal Opportunity Act.
Website: http://www.communitylaw.org.au/ddls/
Federation of Community Legal Centres (Vic)
The Federation of CLCs is a peak body encompassing the 50 CLCs in Victoria. In addition to operating as a peak lobbying body, the Federation currently auspices several ‘working groups’ comprised of student and professionals, co-ordinated around current legal topics—including the working group on refugees and immigration; women and violence and the anti-terror laws. The Federation website is also an excellent ‘clearing house’ of information regarding the activities of CLCs throughout Victoria.
Website: http://www.communitylaw.org.au/fedclc/
Fitzroy Legal Service (FLS)
FLS is the largest generalist CLC operating in Victoria. In addition to casework, FLS offers an extensive community legal education and outreach program within the local community. FLS is responsible for the collation of publication of the ‘Law Handbook’—an annually published, plain language guide to the law. FLS frequently looks for volunteers from surrounding universities, including Melbourne. FLS also offers an annual Articles of Clerkship program.
Website: http://www.fitzroy-legal.org.au/
Footscray Community Legal Centre
Operating out of the diverse Footscray area, FCLC delivers numerous outreach programs to the African, Indian and overseas student communities in the area in addition to regular casework. FCLC frequently seeks volunteers for both its day and night services.
Website: http://www.communitylaw.org.au/footscray/
HIV/ AIDS Legal Centre (HALC)
Provides advocacy and casework on behalf of people suffering HIV/AIDS. In the past, students from the University of Melbourne have had a large role in co-ordinating and assisting in HALC’s projects.
Website:http://www.vicaids.asn.au/content/ContentPage.asp?SectionID=30
Melbourne University Student Union Legal Service
A confidential legal service that is designed to help students ‘help themselves’ with their legal problems. The service is provided free of charge to Melbourne University Student Union members, and for a small fee for non-members. The Union Legal Service occasionally looks for student volunteers to assist in casework and administrative tasks.
Website: http://www.union.unimelb.edu.au/legal
Mental Health Legal Service (MHLS)
A confidential legal service that works with individuals with a mental illness, where their legal problem is related to that mental illness. MHLS is also involved with political lobbying and advocacy on behalf of people with a mental illness.
Website: http://www.communitylaw.org.au/mentalhealth/
North Melbourne Community Legal Centre
North Melbourne CLC is the most physically proximate to Uni. Although a relatively small CLC, North Melbourne conducts several outreach programs in the North Melbourne region. The Centre advertises for volunteers for its day and night services.
Website: www.communitylaw.org.au/northmelbourne/
JobWatch
JobWatch is a specialist CLC committed to workers rights and to the protection of financially disadvantaged workers. The organisation provides over-the-phone legal and rights advice, and casework and advocacy on employment matters, including equal opportunity and discrimination, adequate wage and other industrial matters. JobWatch offers formal internship/placement opportunities, volunteer placements and occasionally advertises part-time work opportunities.
Website: http://www.job-watch.org.au/
Women’s Legal Service (Vic) (WLSV)
WLSV responds to women’s legal problems, including family, violence and children’s issues. WLSV offers a court outreach program for women twice per week. WLSV occasionally offers internship placements, and advertises for volunteers.
Website: http://www.communitylaw.org.au/women/
CHILD WISE
Child Wise is Australia’s leading child protection charity working in Australia, Asia and the Pacific to prevent child abuse. Child Wise programs seek to prevent child abuse by providing greater awareness and understanding; as well as providing the tools and strategies for individuals, organisations and communities to address these issues.
Website: http://www.childwise.net/about.php
YOUTHLAW
YouthLaw is committed to ensuring the representation of young people below the age of 25 within the legal system. It runs numerous legal and rights education programs for the benefit of young people. A branch of YouthLaw also offers an adult ‘sit in’ scheme, through which volunteers sit in on police interviews with minors who have no adult supervisor to perform this role for them. YouthLaw has a very well co-ordinated volunteer program.
Website: http://www.youthlaw.asn.au/
INSPIRE FOUNDATION
The Inspire Foundation is a national non-profit organisation established in 1996 with a mission to create opportunities for young people to change their world. Inspire delivers three national programs with the aim of improving the mental health and wellbeing of young people.
Website: http://www.inspire.org.au/about-us.html
Australian Development Gateway
Has comprehensive links for development jobs. Also allows organisations and individuals to upload information regarding current opportunities.
Website: http://www.developmentgateway.com.au/
Accessible Information on Development Activities (AiDA)
AiDA is the largest online directory of official development aid activities. It offers a quick overview of who is doing what in international development, where they are doing it, and with what funds. Information is provided by donors and may not reflect all activities or most recent activities. It is hosted by the Development Gateway Foundation.
Website: http://aida.developmentgateway.org/index.do
Australian Council for International Development
ACFID is an independent national association of Australian non-government organisations (NGOs) working in the field of international aid and development.
Website: http://www.acfid.asn.au/
australian youth ambassadors for development (AYAD)
AYAD is a program that seeks to strengthen ties between Australia and it neighbours in the Asia-Pacific region, by placing skilled young Australians (18-30) in development placements in the region. These placements are fully funded by AusAid. The AYAD program offers several long and short-term placement opportunities that are advertised regularly through the AYAD website.
Website: http://www.ayad.com.au/aspx/home.aspx
CARE Australia
CARE Australia is part of CARE International, and has management responsibility for programmes in seven countries, and funds and oversees projects in another 16 nations.
Website: http://www.careaustralia.org.au/
FRIENDS OF KOLKATA (FoK)
FoK is a non-profit organisation that is linked with two non-government organisations (NGOs) operating out of Kolkata (Calcutta), India. FoK co-ordinated volunteer placements with these organisations, and works with affiliated organisations in Australia to raise awareness and funds. In the past, several law students from the University of Melbourne have been involved in placements through FoK.
Website: http://www.friendsofkolkata.org/
International Women's Development Agency Australia
IWDA is an Australian non-profit organisation that creates positive change for women and their communities. IWDA’s practical and rights-based projects directly address poverty and oppression in developing countries. The IWDA site also has a comprehensive links page that leads your to various sites on gender and development.
Website: http://www.iwda.org.au/wp/links/
OXFAM INTERNATIONAL
Oxfam International is a confederation of 13 organizations working together with over 3,000 partners in more than 100 countries to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. It occasionally offers voluntary research assistant opportunities in connection with its large, overseas projects.
Website: http://www.oxfam.org/en/index.htm
United Nations Online Volunteering
Database for online volunteering opportunities. Aims to connect 'development organizations and volunteers over the Internet and supports their effective online collaboration.'
Website: http://www.onlinevolunteering.org/
United Nations Volunteers (UNV)
United Nations Volunteers is the United Nations focal point for promoting and harnessing volunteerism for effective development.
Website: http://www.unv.org/
Volunteering for International Development from Australia (VIDA)
According to its website, VIDA places skilled Australian volunteers in developing countries in the Asia Pacific region. VIDA volunteers work with local staff to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development in the communities in which they work through skills exchange, institutional strengthening and capacity building.
Website: http://www.vidavolunteers.com.au/aspx/home.aspx
Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) Victoria
The EDO is an independent, non-profit, community legal service, practising in public interest environmental law.
Website: http://www.edo.org.au/edovic/
EARTH RIGHTS INTERNATIONAL
ERI is a nonprofit group of activists, organizers, and lawyers with expertise in human rights, the environment, and corporate and government accountability. ERI has offices in the U.S. and Southeast Asia.
Website: http://www.earthrights.org/
ActivistRights.Net
ActivistRights.net is a legal resource for activists and community workers, providing tips and cautions for community organising.
Website: http://www.activistrights.org.au/links
CENTRE FOR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS
According to its website, CDI responds to the needs of developing countries in the field of good governance and democratic institutions. The centre was established as an Australian Government initiative and receives its core funding through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). Its geographic focus is the Asia-Pacific region.
Website: http://www.cdi.anu.edu.au/
GetUp!
GetUp is an independent, grass-roots community advocacy organisation giving everyday Australians opportunities to get involved and hold politicians accountable on important issues.
Website: http://www.getup.org.au
The National Association of Community Legal Centres (NACLC)
NACLC is the association of state community legal centre organisations in Australia. Community legal centres (CLCs) are independent, non-profit community organisations that provide free legal services to the public. This page has links to all CLC networks in Australia.
Website: http://www.naclc.org.au/
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre
PIAC is an independent, non-profit legal and policy centre. PIAC makes strategic interventions in public interest matters to foster a fair, just and democratic society and to empower citizens, consumers and communities.
Website: http://www.piac.asn.au/
PUBLIC INTEREST LAW CLEARING HOUSE (PILCH) Victoria
The Public Interest Law Clearing House ('PILCH') is an independent not-for-profit legal referral service. PILCH seeks to meet the legal needs of community groups, not for profit organisations and individuals from disadvantaged or marginalised backgrounds. PILCH acts as a facilitator for the community to access pro bono legal assistance from the private legal profession. PILCH also engages in targeted law reform and advocacy work, and provides community education and training. PILCH offers both fortnightly volunteering opportunities, and longer term placement programs.
Website: http://www.pilch.org.au/html/s01_home/home.asp?dsb=22
VOLUNTEERING AUSTRALIA
Volunteering Australia is the national peak body working to advance volunteering in the Australian community. Its role is to represent the diverse views and needs of the volunteer sector while promoting the activity of volunteering as one of enduring social, cultural and economic value.
Website: http://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/html/s01_home/home.asp
UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA
UNAA offers you the opportunity to be involved and remain notified of the wide range of issues that confront the United Nations and Australia: from human rights to peacekeeping, from greenhouse gases to clean water.
Website: http://www.unaa.org.au/
Amnesty International Australia
Amnesty International Australia is part of the global Amnesty network. Its work aims to 'demand respect for human rights and protect people facing abuse' through mobilising peoples' interest, fundraising and awareness campaigns and research.
Website: http://www.amnesty.org.au/
ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
AHRC has a wide mandate, including to ‘protect and promote human rights by monitoring, investigation, advocacy, and taking solidarity actions.’
Website: http://www.ahrchk.net/
The Australian Human Rights Centre (University of New South Wales)
The Australian Human Rights Centre is an inter-disciplinary research and teaching institute based in the Faculty of Law at the University of New South Wales.
Website: http://www.ahrcentre.org/content/about.htm
AUSTRALIAN LAWYERS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
This organization is designed to provide a peak body for legal professionals advocating human rights in the domestic sphere.
Website: www.alhr.asn.au
Australian Muslim Civil Rights Advocacy Network (AMCRAN)
AMCRAN is dedicated to preventing the erosion of the civil rights of all Australians, and by drawing on the rich civil rights heritage of the Islamic faith, provides a Muslim perspective in the civil rights arena. It does this through political lobbying, contributions to legislative reform through submissions to government bodies, grassroots community education, and communication with and through the media. It actively collaborates with both Muslim and non-Muslim organisations to achieve its goals. AMCRAN frequently looks for volunteer legal researchers in connection with its campaigns.
Website: http://www.amcran.org/
CIVIL RIGHTS DEFENCE (CRD)
CRD is dedicated to publicising and questioning the human rights and civil liberties implications of Australia’s anti-terror laws. CRD frequently holds public forums and talks on current developments with the anti-terror laws.
Website: http://civilrightsdefence.org/
Castan Centre for Human Rights Law
The Castan Centre was established to meet the need for, and interest in, the study of human rights law, globally, regionally and in Australia. It seeks to bring together the work of national and international human rights scholars, practitioners and advocates from a wide range of disciplines in order to promote and protect human rights.
Website: http://www.law.monash.edu.au/castancentre/
HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission was established in 1986 by an act of the Federal Parliament. HREOC’s goal is to foster greater understanding and protection of human rights in Australia and to address the human rights concerns of a broad range of individuals and groups.
Website: http://www.hreoc.gov.au/
THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA
The Human Rights Council of Australia Inc is a private non-government organization which promotes understanding of and respect for human rights for all persons without discrimination through adherence to the International Bill of Rights, and other human rights instruments, internationally and within Australia.
Website: http://www.hrca.org.au/
Human Rights Forum (Melbourne University)
The University of Melbourne Human Rights Forum was established in late 2005 to create a human rights focal point from which to foster interdisciplinary research and informed discussion on human rights issues, and engagement between the University and the broader community. The Forum hosts many interesting events and seminar throughout the year, and sends out a comprehensive newsletter of human-rights related events in Melbourne.
Website: http://www.humanrights.unimelb.edu.au/
Human Rights Legal Resource Centre
The Human Rights Law Resource Centre Ltd ('HRLRC') aims to promote human rights in Victoria and Australia, particularly the human rights of people that are disadvantaged or living in poverty, through the practice of law. The HRLRC seeks to achieve this aim by undertaking and supporting the provision of legal services, litigation, education, training, research and advocacy regarding human rights. HRLRC is currently in the process of setting up a volunteering program.
Website: http://www.hrlrc.org.au/html/s01_home/home.asp?dsb=17
Human Rights Tools
Direct links to 200+ carefully selected human rights related resources: Manuals, databases, periodicals, software.
Website: http://www.humanrightstools.org/index.htm
Human Rights Watch
Founded in 1978, Human Rights Watch is an independent NGO, dedicated to preventing discrimination, upholding political freedom, protecting people from inhumane conduct in wartime, bringing offenders to justice, and investigating and exposing human rights violations around the world. HRW also offers internships in its overseas offices, particularly in the US.
Website: http://www.hrw.org/
International Crisis Group
According to its website, the International Crisis Group (Crisis Group) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation, with some 145 staff members on five continents, working through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and resolve deadly conflict.
Website: http://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm
LIBERTY VICTORIA
Liberty works to defend and extend human rights and freedoms in Victoria.
Website: http://www.libertyvictoria.org.au/
New Matilda: A Human Rights Act For Australia
Campaign page for a national human rights act for Australia, 2008.
Website: http://www.humanrightsact.com.au/
Rights Australia
Campaigns for more effective protection of human rights in Australia.
Website: http://www.rightsaustralia.org.au/
AGREEMENTS, TREATIES AND NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENTS DATABASE
Resource on agreement making with Indigenous Communities in Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Website: www.atns.net.au
AUSTRALIANS FOR NATIVE TITLE AND RECONCILIATION
Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) is an independent, national network of mainly non-Indigenous organisations and individuals working in support of justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia.
Website: www.antar.org.au
The Aurora Project
Project which collaborates with organisations working with Indigenous issues. Regularly advertises inter disciplinary internship intakes and scholarships.
Website: http://www.auroraproject.com.au/About.htm
RECONCILIATION AUSTRALIA
Reconciliation Australia is an independent, not-for-profit organisation established in 2000 by the former Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation.
Website: http://www.reconciliation.org.au/i-cms.isp
VICTORIAN ABORIGINAL LEGAL SERVICE
Provides legal aid and assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and aims to promote social justice for Indigenous Australians, including the right to empowerment, identity and culture.
Website: www.vals.org.au
ANNA WEARNE TRUST
The Anna Wearne Trust will, by ensuring funds are provided to appropriate charitable institutions, create opportunities for young people to reach their potential, where such potential is hampered due to disadvantage or inequality.
Website: www.annawearnetrust.org.au
EASTWEB FUND
The EastWeb Fund is a sub-fund of the Melbourne Community Foundation run by a group of young people. The EastWeb Fund aims to support, financially and in kind, projects based in Victoria that work for and with these communities to combat disadvantage and create long term change in the areas of health care, employment, education and cultural heritage promotion and maintenance.
Website: http://www.eastweb.org.au/home.shtml
EDUCATION FOUNDATION
The Education Foundation is the only independent, non-profit organisation in Australia that strengthens public education by investing private monies (philanthropic and corporate) into primary and secondary schools.
Website: http://www.educationfoundation.org.au/
FOUNDATION FOR YOUNG AUSTRALIANS
The Foundation for Young Australians is an independent national grant-making organisation, funding and working in partnership with youth-led initiatives which aim to positively contribute to young people and their communities.
Website: http://www.youngaustralians.org/
MELBOURNE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Melbourne Community Foundation (MCF) offers individuals, families, groups, corporations and charitable organisations a different and strategic way of giving something of real and lasting value back to the community.
Website: www.communityfoundation.org.au
MYER FOUNDATION
The Myer Foundation works to build a fair, just, creative and caring society by supporting initiatives that promote positive change in Australia.
Website: www.myerfoundation.org.au
PRO BONO AUSTRALIA
Pro Bono Australia’s WOW! Guide (Who Offers What) website is a free online resource guide that caters specifically for the not-for-profit and community sector.
Website: http://www.wowguide.com.au
REICHSTEIN FOUNDATION
Committed to the development of social change philanthropy in Australia.
Website: www.reichstein.org.au
THE HELEN MACPHERSON SMITH TRUST
The Helen MacPherson Smith Trust works in the areas of Aged Persons Care and Support,
Arts, Culture and Heritage, Community Support, Disabled Care and Support, Employment and Vocational Training, Environment, Health and Medical Research.
Website: http://www.hmstrust.org.au/
VICTORIAN FOUNDATION FOR SURVIVORS OF TORTURE
The VFST is a member of the Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT), a coalition of agencies that respond to the needs of survivors of torture and trauma who have come to Australia from overseas.
Website: www.survivorsvic.org.au
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