Resources for community legal centre workers

 

Workers in the community legal centre sector in NSW are able to access the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for free counselling and wellbeing support.

All sector employees are entitled to six free confidential counselling sessions for each issue or problem you encounter. For example, a death in your family and a problem at work are different 'issues', and you are entitled to six counselling sessions for each of these issues.

Access the Employee Assistance Program »

Most workers in community legal centres in NSW are eligible to join the Australian Services Union (ASU). If you would like to join the ASU, or would like more information about the union, click here.

Most community legal centres in NSW refer to the SCHADS Award as the basis of rates of pay for staff.

Further details about the SCHADS award are available on the Fair Work website.

Enhance the efficiency of your community legal centre with these quick and impactful videos on governance, financial records and reports, risk management and grant writing.

This is a running list of support services that is produced by, or recommended during, the Vicarious Trauma: Network of Practice meetings.

Free, confidential, psychological support for staff is available through:

  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP), TELUS Health
    Workers in the community legal centre sector in NSW can access the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for free counselling and wellbeing support.Call TELUS Health on 1300 360 364. Let them know that you are under the Community Legal Centres NSW account.

    First Nations CLC staff in NSW can also access a specialised service for First Nations employees: Call 1800 816 152.
     

  • Solicitor Outreach Service (SOS)
    The Law Society NSW connects NSW solicitors to confidential, psychological support. Contact PeopleSense by Altius on 1800 592 296 (24 hour)
     
  • 1800 RESPECT
    Information and resources for professionals who support people impacted by sexual assault, domestic and family violence. Counsellors can also provide clinical consultations and referrals to support for professionals experiencing work-induced stress and trauma. 
    Phone: 1800 737 732 (24 hour)
     
  • Full Stop Australia
    Expert counsellors and care coordinators available 24 hours a day, seven days a week via telephone or online chat. Offers vicarious trauma support and debrief for professionals.
    Phone: 1800 385 578

Publicly available support services that might be useful include:

  • Medicare Mental Health Treatment Plan
    All people can go to their GP and get a referral for a Mental Health Treatment Plan. There is an entitlement to Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual psychological appointments per calendar year. This gives access to certain psychologists, occupational therapists and social workers (subsidised by Medicare, but still a cost to the individual). There are some services where there is no gap (i.e. no cost to the individual).

  • Lifeline
    Phone: 13 11 14

  • 13YARN (24-hour crisis support service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people)
    13 92 76

  • Kids Helpline
    Phone: 1800 55 1800

  • NSW Health Sexual Assault Service
    NSW Health has a network of specialist Sexual Assault Services (SAS) delivered by local health districts. View the local service list here. 

  • Survivors and Mates Support Network (for male survivors of child sexual abuse)
    Phone: 1800 472 676

Other support services

 

This is a running list of resources and research is produced by, or recommended in, the Vicarious Trauma: Network of Practice.

Resources

  • Kozarov v State of Victoria
    Groundbreaking High Court decision that has shifted the onus "back onto the employer" to provide "a safe place to work and to take measures to look after" staff in instances of psychiatric injury. 
     
  • Justice doing in community work & therapy: from ‘burnout’ to solidarity
    In this talk, Vikki illuminates her stance for an ethic of Justice Doing as a frame for community work and therapy, and consider the intersections, tensions and affinities between community work practice, therapy and social justice activism.

This is a running list of training options that is produced by, or recommended during, the Vicarious Trauma: Network of Practice meetings.