Barwon Community Legal Service

19/06/2026

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼 🏳️‍🌈

We were proud to attend the Geelong Pride Expo on Saturday, 13 June, alongside local services and community organisations celebrating diversity, inclusion and community connection.

Around 150 community members attended the event, providing a fantastic opportunity for people to learn about local services and supports available across the region. It was wonderful to see so many people feeling welcomed, included and connected, and appreciative of the opportunity to meet new people and building lasting friendships.

With 18 stallholders, live entertainment and face painting, the Expo created a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere for people of all ages.

Events like the Geelong Pride Expo demonstrate the importance of creating safe and inclusive spaces where everyone can feel a sense of belonging and connection within our community.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by for a chat with our team, and to the organisers, City of Greater Geelong, volunteers and stallholders who helped make the day such a success. 💜

18/06/2026

Community legal centres play a vital role in ensuring people can access justice when they need it most. However, growing demand across Victoria means many people are missing out on the support they need, with community legal centres currently only able to assist around one in three people seeking help.

We are joining our CLC colleagues today in supporting the call for increased investment in community legal services so more Victorians can access free and accessible legal assistance. Long-term funding certainty is also critical to help community legal centres continue delivering consistent and sustainable services to local communities.

Everyone deserves access to legal support, regardless of their circumstances.

Image: Our CEO Bryanna Connell (third from left) joining our sector colleagues at the We've Got Your back campaign launch at Parliament House today.

Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria

18/06/2026

16/06/2026

Renting in Victoria? There are important recent changes you should know about.

Updates have been made to 'Funda-Rentals', and it’s important for renters, rental providers and agents to understand what’s changed. 'Funda-Rentals' is the process for managing bond money and rental transactions in Victoria, helping make renting fairer, safer and more transparent for everyone involved.

🔍 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱?
The updated Consumer Affairs Victoria webpage explains:

- how Funda-Rentals works
- recent changes and what they mean for you
- your rights and responsibilities when renting.

Whether you’re renting a home, managing a property, or supporting someone who is, this information can help you stay informed and avoid problems.

👉 Learn more here: www.consumer.vic.gov.au/housing/renting/know-the-fundarentals

Knowing your rights is the first step to protecting them. Please share this post so others in your community can stay informed too.

The things every renter and rental provider needs to know.

15/06/2026

In recognition of , we partnered with Surf Coast Shire Council and the City of Greater Geelong to deliver two Framing Age Messaging training sessions for staff.

We were thrilled by the level of engagement, with participants contributing to thoughtful discussions about how we talk about ageing—and why it matters. Many gained practical tools to reframe language in more respectful and empowering ways.

Developed by Common Cause Australia and delivered as an initiative of the Barwon Elder Abuse Primary Prevention Network, the training sparked valuable conversations about shifting narratives and promoting age-inclusive communities.

It was fantastic to see the guide's top tips applied and hear the reflections from participants. A key takeaway was recognising the strong link between ageism and elder abuse, highlighting just how important this work is.

A big thank you to both councils for recognising the value of this training and for hosting sessions for staff and community members. Together, we're helping to build stronger, more age-inclusive communities.

The Framing Age Messaging Training was supported by the Victorian Government.

Images: BCLS' Simon and Alex with City of Greater Geelong's Kylie Rylie, and Simon and Alex at Surf Coast Shire

12/06/2026

Prison time isn’t fine. In Victoria, people can still be imprisoned for unpaid fines, including things like parking fines and tolls.

Right now, a temporary pause is preventing imprisonment. But if it ends, thousands of Victorians could face arrest and possible imprisonment.

Many of the people impacted are already experiencing significant disadvantage, including homelessness, family violence and mental illness.

Parliament has already recognised the injustice of these laws. Yet thousands remain at risk under old “zombie warrants”. There are fairer and more effective ways to recover unpaid fines.

The Victorian Government has a clear choice: continue a system that criminalises poverty, or end it.

The Infringement Working Group is calling on the Victorian Attorney-General to abolish imprisonment for fines debt. Join us in sharing this post to help call for change.

Sonya Kilkenny MP

10/06/2026

AusAlert, the new national warning system, will send emergency messages to compatible mobile devices during disasters such as bushfires, severe weather and public health emergencies.

A community test will happen in Geelong at 2pm on Thursday 18 June 2026.

For anyone with a hidden or safety phone, now is the time to plan to keep yourself safe as the alert will sound even if the phone (or tablet) is on 'silent' or 'do not disturb' mode. There are steps you can take to help stay safe and manage alerts discreetly, see the shared post below for more information.

10/06/2026

⏰ 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿: 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗨𝗽 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀!

If you work with young people, this free online session is a great opportunity to build your confidence in recognising legal issues and connecting young people with the right support.

Many young people experience issues related to:

→ Housing
→ Employment
→ Fines
→ Centrelink
→ Family law matters

Young people often face these problems but may not realise legal help is available.

𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟱 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲
𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: 𝟭–𝟮𝗽𝗺 (𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲)
𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝘄𝗼𝗻

Join us to learn practical ways to identify legal issues early and support better outcomes for young people.

👉 Register here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/mI9iJIVFRoC9S4tydZd5WA

09/06/2026

Thanks for inviting us to be part of the Engagement Blitz this week at Northern Bay College Tallis P-8 Campus! It was nice to connect with families at the campus and the Norlane Child and Family Centre and have casual conversations about our free legal service, what we can help with and how people can connect with us if needed. These 'blitzes' are a great and effective way for families to get quick, simple information in a friendly environment about the services here to support them. Look forward to being involved again in the future!

09/06/2026

We’re still smiling after such a special occasion! Our 40th anniversary celebration on Thursday 28 May was filled with warmth, connection, and a real sense of community, and we’re so grateful to everyone who came along and made it a memorable event.

It was fantastic to see such a strong turnout, with so many supporters, partners, and friends coming together to recognise the impact of community legal services and the people behind them.

A big thank you as well to everyone who reached out after the event to congratulate us and share their kind words, it truly means a lot and reflects the genuine appreciation for community legal services across our region.

We’ve pulled together some of our favourite moments from the 40th, and we’d love you to take a look 👇
www.barwoncommunitylegal.org.au/40th-anniversary-celebration/

Thank you again to everyone who joined us and continues to support access to justice in our community.

We would also like to acknowledge our local photographer, Alan Barber from Barefoot Media Photography, for capturing such lovely images on the day.

Barwon Community Legal Service acknowledges the Wadawurrung people of the Kulin Nation, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we learn and work, and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.