Central Tablelands Cooperative Legal Service Delivery Program Partnership
The Central Tablelands Cooperative Legal Service Delivery Program Partnership is one of 12 regional justice partnerships in NSW. The Program partnerships are a coalition of legal and non-legal services.
The aim of the partnerships is to improve legal outcomes for people who experience social and economic disadvantage.
Why are CLSD Program partnerships important?
People who experience social and economic disadvantage often have complex and interrelated legal, health, financial and social needs. CLSD Program partnerships identify areas of unmet legal need in their communities and take collaborative action to address that need.
Systemic issues and problems that are raised by partnerships are regularly fed back to the NSW Legal Assistance Forum, the Law and Justice Foundation as well as other relevant bodies such as the Law Society, ombudsman schemes and government agencies.
How does the CLSD Program work?
Each partnership has a regional coordinator. Face to face meetings of the partners are held four times each year. Information about meeting dates and locations can be found on the Legal Aid NSW website www.legalaid.nsw. gov.au/clsd
The quarterly meetings are a great opportunity for partners to share information about new services, emerging legal issues and legal needs in the region.
Each partnership has an action plan that provides a framework for priorities and collaborative work by the partners. Action plans are flexible and updated regularly.
Central Tablelands region priorities:
- Improving connections with services and communities in Lithgow.
- Improving access to legal services for young people.
- Increasing family law services across the region.
- Increasing services to people with disabilities, with regard to the NDIS.
CLSD Program Projects
Partners use an evidence based approach to respond to unmet and emerging legal needs. Funding is available to support collaborative projects that provide, facilitate or enhance access to legal services in the region.
Projects developed by the Central Tablelands partnership include:
- Wills clinic for Aboriginal people in Bathurst and Orange in partnership with pro bono firm Sparke Helmore.
- Legal advice clinics at the Neighbourhood Centre in Bathurst and the Lithgow Neighbourhood centre – a collaboration between Elizabeth Evatt CLC and Legal Aid NSW.
- Youth Solicitor Program at Lithgow High School.