The Street Law Centre is committed to supporting the homeless and those at risk of homelessness across WA during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The health and safety of our clients, staff and volunteers is paramount. As a result, we have suspended all in-person outreach legal services. We are currently in discussions with our outreach service partners concerning video link access to our service.
Clients are able to continue to access our service by telephoning us on
1800 752 992 during office hours.
As at 4.30pm 27 March 2020 we will be working remotely which may have a temporary impact on the capacity of our service at this challenging time.
We are currently developing innovative new systems to continue delivering high-quality legal services over the coming period. We thank you for patience and understanding as these new systems are put in place.
Street Law is a free outreach legal service for the homeless and those at risk of homelessness in Western Australia.
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This week is National Reconciliation Week, which is a time for promoting knowledge of Australia’s shared histories, cultures and achievements with its Indigenous peoples. It is also an opportunity to explore and reflect how every Australian can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
National Reconciliation Week is from 27 May to 3 June every year. These dates commemorate important events in Indigenous Australian history – the 1967 referendum was on May 27, while the High Court decision in the Mabo case was made on June 3.
Reconciliation refers to the process through which Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians can recognise the status of Indigenous Australians as First Australians, and reconcile the harmful legacy of devastating land dispossession, violence and racism that characterise Australia’s colonial history.
In the words of Reconciliation Australia, it is about "strengthening the relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians."
The theme of National Reconciliation Week 2020 is In this together, which speaks to the cooperative nature of reconciliation, and emphasises the need for togetherness in any reconciliatory journey.
We encourage everyone to follow the below link to Reconciliation Australia’s website to learn more about reconciliation, and see what events are on throughout National Reconciliation Week.
www.reconciliation.org.au/national-reconciliation-week/
This week is National Volunteer Week. National Volunteer Week is an annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of volunteers all around Australia. This year’s theme is “Changing Communities, Changing Lives”.
Street Law, as a community legal centre, is indebted to the staggering amount of time put in by its volunteers, and wishes to thank all past and present volunteers and secondees for continuing to make Street Law accessible to people experiencing homelessness all around Perth. Without you, we would not be able to operate at the capacity that we currently do. You truly are changing communities and changing lives.
Street Law also wishes to acknowledge, and gives thanks to volunteers in similar positions at other community legal centres around WA and Australia, and all volunteers around the country.
Thank you Alice!
Alice, who had been managing our social media accounts, and keeping everyone informed about important contemporary issues concerning our clients, is moving on from Street Law to focus on her studies.
Alice was incredibly passionate about bringing these issues to light, and took pride in making people aware of the otherwise unknown situations facing many of our client group. She also took pride in being able to write about positive stories regarding clients Street Law has helped in the past. She was always open to any new ideas and was an incredibly friendly and bubbly face in the office.
About her time with Street Law, Alice had the following to say:
"Being able to volunteer at Street Law has given me the opportunity to learn so many new things. After spending 8 months working on social media, I have left with a newfound understanding of homelessness and how it impacts so many people in WA. I loved being able to write about success stories with Street Law clients. I am so grateful for having been given the opportunity to be a part of such a great organisation. Thank you!"
We will miss Alice and wish her all the best for the future!!
Thank you and goodbye, Ebeneezer!
This week, we say farewell to Ebezeener, who was our first ever Dentons secondee.
Ebeneezer joined us in early December, and generously agreed to stay on until now to help Street Law through our adjustment to working remotely. Immediately, his extensive legal experience became apparent through the wealth of knowledge he brought to Street Law, and he would often work far beyond what was expected of him. He was always a friendly face around the office, and always keen to impart his knowledge and experience to others. Ebeneezer said the following of his time with Street Law:
“Volunteering at Street Law has been a life and career-changing experience. I have been humbled by the needs of young people at risk of and experiencing homelessness, and encouraged by the amazing work that Street Law do to assist these people. The legal profession is uniquely placed to help some of the most marginalised individuals in our society, and I would love to encourage more people to take the plunge and volunteer.”
We would also like to thank Dentons for providing secondees, and allowing Ebeneezer to stay much beyond his initial 10-week program. We look forward to working with Dentons into the future.
It is a shame to learn that the government’s ‘Hotels with a Heart’ program has been abandoned.
This program was launched in late March and consisted of the Pan Pacific hotel in the CBD housing around 20 Western Australians who were sleeping rough.
While the news is disappointing, the fact that this initiative was launched in the first place is an encouraging step towards recognising the vulnerability of Western Australians who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, particularly in the time of coronavirus. Homelessness is often caused by complex issues and in order to transition from homelessness, a holistic view of personal circumstances is required.
Despite this, roughly half of the people who stayed at the Pan Pacific and finished the program obtained alternate accommodation, including social housing properties.
www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-05/perth-coronavirus-homeless-program-hotels-with-heart-abandoned/122...
www.abc.net.au
A program to house homeless individuals in Perth hotels is abandoned after more than half the 20 people who were given accommodation at the start of the scheme chose to leave early.