Wallan Office - Mitchell Shire Extension
In 2023, NCLC was among the first cohort to receive a ‘Strong Foundations’ grant from the Victorian Legal Services Board & Commissioner to establish our new satellite Wallan office. In September 2024, we opened our doors in Wallan to increase service accessibility for Mitchell Shire residents, who experience high legal needs and low availability of services.
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We held a launch event to celebrate the opening. The event was the culmination of many years of strong advocacy in response to identified legal need in an area with one of the fastest-growing populations in Victoria. We were honoured to be joined by the (then) Attorney General Jaclyn Symes, Youth Justice Minister Enver Erdogan, and Lauren Kathage MP as well as funders and local partner agencies.
Since the Wallan office opened, the number of Mitchell Shire residents coming to Northern CLC for help doubled. The new office initially hosted two staff: a senior lawyer, and a community integration worker. An additional community development worker was added to the team with funding provided by Mitchell Shire Council. Further funding was provided by the Victorian State Government to provide an additional lawyer.
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We want to thank the VLSB, Mitchell Shire Council and the Victorian State Government for their support and assistance in enhancing access to justice for families in Mitchell Shire.
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