Five County Connecting Regions Project 2010: Increasing Legal Literacy and Access to Justice for...

Five County Connecting Regions Project 2010:

Increasing Legal Literacy and Access to Justice for Rural Residents and Linguistic Communities

Law Foundation of Ontario Report:

Connecting across language and distance: Linguistic and Rural Access to Legal Information and Services (2008)

Main recommendations relevant to our Project

Capacity Building project – increase capacity of non-legal community organizations to provide legal information and referrals to clients (CLEO is lead)

Regional planning initiative – enhance rural and linguistic access to legal info and services by coordination (Five County project is one of three funded for Phase I)

Legal interpretation issues – Deaf Community & Linguistic groups (Request for projects coming soon)

Articling Fellowships (CALC was awarded one)

Rural challenges according to Report 80 % of lawyers are small or solo practices 47 % of communities, mostly rural and remote do not

have broadband access Distance, lack of transportation, literacy, health,

isolation, lack of social services, lack of education Hidden nature of rural poverty Seasonal employment Housing disrepair Stigma because of rural self-sufficiency ethos –

reluctant to seek help Fear of legal system and “cultural” barriers

Linguistic challenges according to Report

Legal interpretation / language challenges Cultural and attitudinal barriers Lack of literacy skills and knowledge of

the legal system Poverty and social isolation

Report recommendations and overcoming Rural and Linguistic challengesOutreach via:

Friendship Centres Band offices Mennonite Central Committee offices Ethnic media Places of worship Health-related locations Physicians Public service announcements LCBO Grocery stores Food banks Libraries Post-offices ServiceOntario etc.

Report recommendations and overcoming Rural and Linguistic challenges Use of technology (hotlines, videoconferencing,

internet) “Trusted intermediaries” (Capacity building with

front-line staff) ESL Classes Workshops or Mini-legal Clinics OMNI or Cable Television Increase legal services in rural locations Newspaper columns like the “Legalese” column

in Frontenac News

Report Conclusions

Priority areas of law are: Consumer Criminal justice Employment Family and child protection Health care and mental health Housing Human rights Immigration and refugee status Income support, and Information about the legal system.

Report Conclusions Rural and linguistic access are fundamental A2J issues Vulnerable people need legal service more than self-

help A system and not just an entity is needed (multiple

points of access in an integrated system) Community agencies are essential parts of system Commitment to collaboration is the foundation for

effective and sustainable results

LFO Report endorses Professor Trebilcock’s recent Review of Legal Aid

“Better integration of legal services in Ontario’s clinics, staff offices and duty counsel offices, coupled with a referral system based on strong partnerships with the social service sector would be a highly desirable goal.”

LFO Report suggests…

Effort is needed …. “to create a systemic response to access to justice challenges that builds from a shared vision, involves all who need to be part of it, identifies the highest priorities, and explores the benefits of working together.” (p. 58)

LFO Report recommends vision:

“Legal and non-legal organizations will work together as a coherent system to improve access to legal information and services for persons who do not speak English or French or who live in rural or remote areas of Ontario.” (p. 60)

Report excerpt

Report excerpt

Report excerpt

Report excerpt

Report recommends Regional Planning Model

Objective: increase rural and linguistic access How: Local legal and non-legal organizations

and provincial bodies would develop a system How: collaboration and collective learning,

partnerships and shared resources, shared expertise, joint outreach, legal information distribution, training, service coordination

Deliverable: model for a coherent system Continuum of legal services

Connecting Region

A group of legal and non-legal organizations working together to test strategies to improve rural and linguistic access to legal information and services in a region of the province

Five County Connecting Region Project

Phase I Funded for: Focus groups Case studies Literature review Report in February 2010 Release event February 2010

Create Phase II Proposal (Local “Consortium” to build future Network, and Project Ideas)

Project Partners

Community Advocacy & Legal Centre Northumberland Community Legal Centre Kingston Community Legal Clinic Rural Legal Services Queen’s Student Legal Aid Services Society Legal Aid Ontario Durham-Frontenac District

Office Legal Aid Ontario Supervisory Duty Counsel

Focus Groups

1-3 Focus Groups in each of the five counties Aboriginal Focus Groups Specialty Legal Clinics with provincial

mandates: Community Legal Education Ontario CLEONet ARCH Disability Law Centre Canadian Environmental Law Association Advocacy Centre for the Elderly Justice for Children and Youth

Community Access to Justice Tool Kit

An interim resource to enhance referrals to Legal Aid, local legal clinics, specialty legal clinics, and other sources of legal help

Your feedback is appreciated Also available electronically at:

http://www.communitylegalcentre.ca/ConnectingRegions