Northern Community Legal Centre

26/06/2026

We need your help to continue supporting women like Rita.

Through our Safe Steps to Legal Rights Project, we provide onsite legal support to women in family violence crisis accommodation. This removes barriers to justice and enables us to deliver rapid support to women who often face multiple urgent legal challenges.

One of the women we were able to help through this project is Rita*. Rita moved to Australia from Iran with her husband and three children. Her husband was violent, and Rita was worried what separating from her husband would mean for her and her children. Her and her children’s visas were linked to her husband’s, and her name was on the lease for their rental where her husband, in anger, had caused $10,000 in damages.

Through our Safe Steps to Legal Rights project, we were connected to Rita once she was in family violence crisis accommodation, where we were able to assist her with each of these complex legal issues and support her to get a Family Violence Intervention Order.

In the last twelve months we’ve helped over 260 women like Rita. However, the philanthropic funding for this project ran out last year. Without adequate resources, we might now have to shut down this essential service.

There’s still time for you to show your support for these women and their children before the end of the financial year. Make a tax-deductible donation here: https://www.givenow.com.au/northerncommunitylegalcentre

*Name, quotes and specifics have been changed for clarity and to protect the privacy of our client.

23/06/2026

Community Legal Centres have your back, but we need your support to ensure we can continue providing essential legal services.

Through our Community Legal – We've Got Your Back 2026 election campaign, Victoria’s Community Legal Centres are calling for all political parties to commit to investing an additional $120 million over the next term of parliament to help give 120,000 more Victorians the help they need.

Our CEO, Jenni Smith, was at Victorian Parliament House last week for the campaign launch, discussing the importance of funding vital services with policy makers and Northern MPs such as Anthony Cianflone, Kathleen Mathews-Ward and Iwan Walters. We’d like to thank Federation of Community Legal Centre for bringing the sector together to drive this campaign and everyone who attended the launch for showing their support.

We encourage everyone to join the campaign to ensure that Victorian’s get the help they need when they need it most.

Show your support 👉 https://www.fclc.org.au/gotyourback

If you’re considering donating this end of financial year, we also ask that you consider donating to save our Safe Steps to Legal Rights project. For more information and to donate 👉 https://www.givenow.com.au/northerncommunitylegalcentre

22/06/2026

Our Safe Steps to Legal Rights Project prevents vulnerable women being left behind by the justice system.

Women in family violence crisis accommodation often face multiple overlapping legal issues and require immediate legal support to avoid homelessness or returning to an unsafe relationship. Through our Safe Step to Legal Rights Project we provide onsite legal support, removing barriers to justice and delivering rapid support when these women need it most.

Since we piloted this program in 2025, demand has far exceeded what we anticipated. To date, we’ve helped over 260 victims-survivors find their feet.

However, the philanthropic funding for this project ran out last year. We might now have to cut this essential service.

If you are considering donating this end of financial year, we encourage you to donate to support these women and their children.

Donate here 👉 https://www.givenow.com.au/northerncommunitylegalcentre

15/06/2026

One of our essential services needs your support to continue.

Women in family violence crisis accommodation often face multiple, compounding and urgent legal issues. These women need rapid, onsite legal support to ensure they don’t have to return to an unsafe home or become trapped in long term instability and homelessness.

Through our Safe Steps to Legal Rights Project, we provide this much needed onsite support to high-risk victims-survivors of family violence. In the last twelve months we’ve supported over 260 women. Approximately 80% of clients through this project have required support for multiple challenges.

Since we piloted this program, the scale of this unmet need has been far greater than we anticipated and unfortunately our service has been overwhelmed. Philanthropic funding for this project ended last year and continuing without proper resourcing means cutting into other vital services. The Project is currently at risk of being shut down.

These women and their children matter, and this legal support is essential for them to rebuild their lives.

Donate today: https://www.givenow.com.au/northerncommunitylegalcentre

27/05/2026

That’s a wrap on Law Week 2026!

‘Where law meets life’ was the theme of this year’s Law Week and our community forum on Monday was just that. The forum brought together the public, specialist housing services and community leaders to discuss the how the housing crisis is impacting those in Melbourne’s north, how services are responding and what systemic change is required.

What was at the center of the discussion was the importance of collaboration when responding to challenges like housing insecurity. Everyone on the panel and in the audience was eager to share their perspectives and talk through solutions.

We’re thankful to all out panelists for contributing to this important conversation and to the Victoria Law Foundation for coordinating Law Week.

12/05/2026

Under a week to go until our community forum!

This is your chance to contribute to the broader conversation about housing rights and access to justice.

You’ll hear from community leaders, legal experts and housing support services as they share practical information about housing rights, support options and solutions. After the panel discussion, you will have a chance to ask all your questions relating to housing security.

📆 18 May 2026
⏰ 2:30-5pm
📍 Glenroy Community Hub

For more info and to register for FREE 👉https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/1987290499380?aff=oddtdtcreator

11/05/2026

Anyone can experience family violence. And anyone can help end it. You don’t need to be an expert. This May, start the conversation.

Visit www.areyousafeathome.org.au to learn more and get involved.

If you are in Melbourne’s north-west and seeking legal advice, reach out to our team on (03) 9310 4376 or via email [email protected]

08/05/2026

Join our team as our next Managing Employment Lawyer or Senior Employment Lawyer!

In these roles you will either lead or help deliver the Working Women’s Centre Victoria (WWC Vic) service as part of our Northern Community Legal Centre team, to support women and non-binary workers achieve safe, fair and equitable workplaces.

If you are an experienced employment lawyer who’s passionate about advancing gender equity and workplace justice, we want to hear from you!

Applications close: 11:59PM AEST, 17 May 2026

Learn more and apply 👉 https://www.ethicaljobs.com.au/members/northernclc/managing-employment-lawyer-senior-employment-lawyer

07/05/2026