1 / 15

Homeless Persons ’ Legal Service

Homeless Persons ’ Legal Service. “Bringing Human Rights Home”. How did HPLS Happen?. a joint project of the ACT Community Legal Centres, Legal Aid ACT and the Aboriginal Legal Service. It is an auspiced service of Welfare Rights & Legal Centre.

nhi
Download Presentation

Homeless Persons ’ Legal Service

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Homeless Persons’ Legal Service “Bringing Human Rights Home”

  2. How did HPLS Happen? a joint project of the ACT Community Legal Centres, Legal Aid ACT and the Aboriginal Legal Service. It is an auspiced service of Welfare Rights & Legal Centre. funding from ACT Government and Commonwealth Government

  3. Our Goal: implementing human rights for the homeless and those at risk of homelessness.

  4. Meaningless Paper? “we will act fairly and reasonably towards you in a consistent and ethical manner.” Source?

  5. Meaningless Paper? “people who are experiencing homelessness have the right of inclusion, rights to dignity, respect, and non discrimination, rights to safety and freedom.” Source?

  6. HPLS lawyers will: implement the Homeless Charter through: advocacy & empowerment recognise how one problem can lead to another!

  7. HPLS will: assist people who are homeless or are at risk of homelessness by providing a free legal service and by helping them to connect with other services.

  8. What is homelessness? “A person is homeless unless he or she has adequate housing that affords the right to live in security, peace and dignity.” - United Nations Committee on Economic, Social, Cultural Rights

  9. What is homelessness? includes situations where the person’s housing: ｷdamages, or is likely to damage their health; ｷis unsafe; ｷfails to provide: o adequate amenities; o the supports that a home normally affords; or ｷis not affordable.

  10. Type of work HPLS aims to do: • No Wrong Door • Legal advice • Casework • Law Reform & Policy • High Impact Litigation • Client Advocacy

  11. HPLS lawyers will: ｷhelp with practical problems ｷexplain complicated legal issues ｷhelp negotiate with landlords and lenders ｷhelp with housing reviews, tribunals or court hearings ｷput clients in touch with other organisations that can help too. = work collaboratively!!

  12. High Impact Litigation casework focused on systemic change: ｷRight to privacy ｷRight to adequate housing ｷFreedom of expression ｷSecurity of the person ｷFreedom of association ｷRight to social security ｷRight to health ｷRight to vote ｷFreedom from discrimination ｷFreedom form cruel inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment

  13. Client Advocacy HPLS aims to develop the capacity of its clients to become advocates on issues effecting them and other homeless people. HPLS aims to establish a client reference group.

  14. Where is HPLS? HPLS is a service of the Welfare Rights and Legal Centre and its office is located in Civic. HPLS hopes to operate legal clinics at several locations in the ACT and in Queanbeyan at places safe and accessible to the different types clients.

  15. Who will work at HPLS? HPLS aims to staff clinics with a lawyers from a variety of places: • HPLS solicitors • private law firms acting pro bono • Community Legal Centres • Legal Aid • Aboriginal Legal Service

More Related