Barwon Community Legal Service

26/05/2026

Today marks the start of 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲. This year’s message reminds us that we are "All In" for Reconciliation, and that meaningful change happens when each of us plays a role.

As an organisation, we are proud to stand alongside our community in our commitment to reconciliation. We recognise that building respectful relationships, listening, learning, and taking action are all essential steps on this journey.

This week, we are continuing that commitment by bringing together our internal Friends of the Treaty group to progress our organisational commitments toward Treaty and to explore how we can contribute to lasting structural change.

Reconciliation is not just a week, it is an ongoing responsibility we all share.

🤝 We are "All In" for Reconciliation.

Find Reconciliation resources and read more about Reconciliation Week https://www.reconciliation.org.au/our-work/national-reconciliation-week/

26/05/2026

Today, on National Sorry Day, we pause to acknowledge the strength, resilience and ongoing healing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly members of the Stolen Generations, their families and communities.

Today Barwon Community Legal Service attended the Wathaurong National Sorry Day event at Booln Booln. We thank Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative for creating a powerful space of reflection, truth-telling and connection.

National Sorry Day is a poignant reminder of the impacts of past government policies and the importance of listening, learning and walking together towards reconciliation. As a community legal service, we recognise the role we play in supporting justice, respect and culturally safe services.

We stand in solidarity, today and every day, and reaffirm our commitment to supporting First Nations peoples in our community.

22/05/2026

Where Law Meets Life – Norlane Law Week 2026 BBQ 🔥

We had a fantastic time connecting with the Norlane community during Law Week at Labuan Square this week.

Our team from Barwon Community Legal Service spoke with locals about everyday legal issues – from housing and fines to family law, consumer concerns and accessing support.

It was great to:
• connect people with help for tenancy and rental issues
• support those navigating family violence and safety concerns
• provide guidance on fines, TAC claims and other legal matters
• link people to trusted services including Tenants Victoria, Meli, Villamanta Disability Legal Service, Uniting Vic Tas and Barwon Health

Events like this show what Where Law Meets Life really means – meeting people where they are and helping them get the support they need.

Huge thanThe Good Neighbourhood Project and The Power In You Project for hosting such a welcoming community BBQ.

📸 Image: Jacqui, Massimo and Rebecca from our team chatting with community members at the Norlane Law Week BBQ.

Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria Victoria Law Foundation

22/05/2026

Great to be part of an inspiring Law Week 2026 event with local Legal Studies students, hosted by Grovedale College!

Our Practice Manager Emma Cvitak joined a panel facilitated by Villamanta Disability Rights Legal Service Board member Zane McKenzie, alongside Victoria Legal Aid Lawyer Elina Sisley, and Villamanta volunteer Ryless Finlay to speak with students and teachers from Grovedale College, Surf Coast Secondary College, and Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College.

Together, we explored careers in law, the work of community legal centres and Legal Aid, as well as law reform. It was a fantastic opportunity to bring the concepts students are learning in the classroom to life, showing how they play out in real, day-to-day legal work.

Even better, the session was filmed so it can be shared with more Legal Studies classes across the region.

It was a privilege to help inspire the next generation of legal professionals and to highlight the many pathways a law degree can open.⚖️

Thanks to Grovedale College for hosting us, and our partners Villamanta Disability Legal Service and Victoria Legal Aid.



Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria Victoria Law Foundation

21/05/2026

𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 💛

This National Volunteer Week (18–25 May), we want to say a heartfelt thank you to the amazing volunteers who support Barwon Community Legal Service.

Every day, our volunteers, like Clarice, make a real difference, helping people access justice and providing support during challenging times for our community through compassion, skill and generosity.

Volunteering is a two-way journey. While our volunteers give so much, we are proud to support them to grow, build confidence, and gain experience, in the hope they go on to achieve incredible things in their careers.

We are continually inspired by their passion for fairness and commitment to helping others, and their contribution helps create a more just, inclusive and connected community.

Thank you for everything you do, we are so grateful to have you as part of BCLS. 🌟

Image: Volunteer Clarice (left) with our Practice Manager - Generalist Emma Cvitak.

18/05/2026

𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿: 𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆! 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗕𝗕𝗤 + 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 & 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽

Don’t forget to join us this Thursday 21 May, 11am–1pm at Labuan Square Neighbourhood Commons Cafe, Norlane, for our Law Week community event.

If you’ve been meaning to get help with fines, tenancy, cost-of-living pressures or family law questions, this is a great chance to drop in and have a chat in a relaxed, welcoming space.

👉Free BBQ lunch
👉Free legal and financial health checks
👉No bookings needed!

Come along, connect with your local community legal service and get practical support when you need it most. We’re proud to partner with the The Good Neighbourhood Project and The Power In You Project to support stronger, more connected communities.

Tag a friend or neighbour who might benefit, we’d love to see them there!

16/05/2026

🏳️‍🌈 Proud to stand up, speak out and show support this IDAHOBIT 🏳️‍🌈

Earlier this week we joined Mayor Libby Stapleton, Councillors and community members at Council’s Torquay office to raise the rainbow flag ahead of IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Discrimination and Transphobia) which is today, 17 May.

It was fantastic to see students from Surf Coast Secondary College and guest speaker Reuben Whyte Them Humans Inc come together to celebrate inclusion and allyship.

Reuben reminded us of the importance of speaking up: creating safe, inclusive spaces helps young people thrive as future leaders, artists and changemakers.

The rainbow flag will fly throughout May as a visible sign of support for equality, respect and belonging for LGBTIQA+ communities.

💛 Let’s all play a part in creating a safer, more inclusive community, today and every day.

Surf Coast Shire Council

🏳️‍🌈Standing together for IDAHOBIT🏳️‍🌈

Mayor Libby Stapleton was joined by 2025 Victorian Pride Awards Ally of the Year, Rueben Whyte, raising the rainbow flag outside Council’s Torquay office today, acknowledging the international day against LGBTIQA+ discrimination, IDAHOBIT.

IDAHOBIT is on Sunday 17 May, but celebrations were bought forward, with community members and students from Surf Coast Secondary College joining Mayor Stapleton, Cr Bodsworth, Cr Crockett and Cr Pattison.

Mayor Stapleton said raising the rainbow flag showed Council’s proud allyship and support of inclusion.

“𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦,” Mayor Stapleton said.

Guest speaker Rueben Whyte from Them Humans Inc. shared his journey to become an ally and how he reluctantly stepped into this space to create safe, identify affirming spaces where creativity becomes a pathway to confidence, community and opportunity.

“𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘭𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘶𝘯𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥. 𝘐𝘧 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥, 𝘸𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯,” he said.

We will fly the rainbow flag for the month of May, showing support for IDAHOBIT Day and all that the day stands for.

13/05/2026

𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 - 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐁𝐁𝐐 + 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 & 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 – 𝐘𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝!

We know how life can quickly get complicated. Bills pile up, fines sneak in, or you might have questions about housing, family, or money. The good news? You don’t have to figure it out alone. Join us for our Law Week 2026 community event.

Date: Thursday 21 May
Time: 11am – 1pm
Location: Labuan Square Neighbourhood Commons

Whether you're dealing with fines, tenancy issues, rising living costs, or family law questions, drop in for a chat and get information you need in a relaxed setting.

✅ Free BBQ lunch
✅ Free legal and financial health checks
✅ No appointments needed
✅ Friendly, practical support from your local community legal

We’re proud to partner with the Good Neighbourhood Project, and The Power in You Project, helping build stronger, more connected communities

No bookings. No cost. Just practical help when you need it.

Tag a friend or neighbour who might benefit, we’d love to see you there!

TThe Good Neighbourhood Project The Power In You Project

12/05/2026

We welcome the Victorian Government's investment in our School Lawyer Programs which will continue and expand vital early legal support and education to young people in schools across our region. This funding will strengthen the proven early intervention approach that helps address issues before they escalate helping to keep young people engaged in education and reducing risks of homelessness and contact with the justice system.

Ella George MP Alison Marchant - Member for Bellarine Christine Couzens MP

The 2026/27 Victorian Budget commits $439k to expand the North Geelong School Lawyer Program, currently delivered in seven local schools by Barwon Community Legal Service.

This funding will enable the program to continue for 1 calendar year to continue the program in 7 current schools and expand to a further 4 schools, beginning in 2027.

This investment will ensure more Geelong students can access early legal support when they need it most.

11/05/2026

On Wednesday evening, 6 May, we had the honour of attending the Geelong Candlelight Vigil.

In 2025, 77 Australian women and 26 children were killed by a parent or intimate partner. Each of these lives matters, and each loss has a profound and lasting impact on families, friends, and the wider community.

The vigil was a powerful moment to come together, to remember those we’ve lost, to stand in solidarity with victim-survivors, and to ensure the people behind these statistics are not forgotten.

We are grateful to have heard from keynote speaker Courtney Ugle (Waangkiny), and MC Conor Pall and to stand alongside a community committed to ending family and domestic violence.

The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre Meli

11/05/2026

💬 On 11 May, we recognise Are You Safe at Home? Day, a reminder that anyone can experience family violence, and anyone can play a role in ending it. Start the conversation to end Family Violence: ask, listen, and believe.

For more information on the campaign, or to get involved and support Are You Safe at Home? Day 2026, visit www.areyousafeathome.org.au.

Safe and Equal