Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre

“I’ve been with the Legal Centre for about a year now, volunteering one day a week (or as timetable permits) while completing the third year of my Arts/Law degree. My duties are varied; they range from tidying bookshelves to drafting letters of demand. 

I’m constantly impressed by the amount of care and attention afforded to each client and the social justice ethos which is shared by all who work here. Law School can be pretty one-dimensional at times, and it’s nice to be reminded that there are still people out there who take justice as more than mere rhetoric.

But it’s not just about the ‘no problem is too small’ attitude. It’s rare to find such a nice bunch of people to work with, who are always willing to answer my questions and make sure I’m learning something every week too.”

Volunteer Christina Wong

The Flemington & Kensington Community Legal Centre, like all CLCs, relies on a team of wonderful volunteers. Over the years, the Centre has developed a Volunteer Program that has supported many students that have gone onto full time employment in their chosen profession. We are committed to ensuring that volunteers are provided with adequate support responsive to their needs, feedback, training in areas of interest, and a comfortable and secure working environment.

How can volunteers participate?

Volunteers come to our service with a range of skills and experiences.  Volunteers may nominate areas and projects in which they would like to volunteer, however staff will provide guidance.  Areas available are:

Night Service

Legally qualified volunteer

Experienced but not legally qualified volunteer

Para-legal volunteer

Day Volunteer

Casework Assistant

Policy/ research/ Law Reform

Administration (Day)

Board of Management

                Governance and oversight.

We encourage volunteers to become aware of the different cultural values within the local community, and to employ community development skills, that is to empower clients to act on their own behalf, or develop links with other community organisations.

Volunteers at the Centre are required to be members and are eligible for nomination to the Board and are invited to participate in activities and campaigns run by the Centre. At present, members are recruited from service users, local residents, service providers and other interested bodies.  Membership is free.

Download an Application Kit here.

Selection criteria

FKCKC volunteers need good communication skills, an openness to diversity and other peoples' values, and a willingness to be challenged and to learn. FKCLC is open to people from a diverse range of ages, work, education and life experiences.

FKCKC volunteers need to:

• be over 18 years of age;
• have experience in some aspect of the organisation (administrative tasks, community development or education, legal advice, casework etc.)
• be available for at least 100 hours, or one day per week for 3 months, or  one day per fortnight for 6 months;
• be reliable;
• have good communication skills;
• commit to the aims of FKCLC;
• Fluency in a language other than English (desirable)

We actively encourage people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds to apply.

Selection Process

Step 1: Download this Application Form, and submit with your Curriculum Vitae and any other supporting documentation

Step 2: Attend a selection interview. Referees may be contacted at this point.

FKCLC staff will screen your application according to the extent to which you meet the volunteer selection criteria. The capacity of the organisation and the availability of spaces will also be taken into account.

Successful applicants will be required to become a member of the FKCLC, sign a confidentiality agreement, read the Volunteer Induction Kit and Public Indemnity Insurance Manual and attend general and specialist training sessions as required.

The principles of fairness and equal opportunity are to be applied to the process of volunteer recruitment and selection.

We prefer to discuss volunteering face-to-face. This way we will be able to take you through the service, discuss our aims of objectives and find out what you want to get out of volunteering with us.

If you require more information about our service before completing your application form or prior to the induction interview, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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“Most of my contribution to the centre has been in the casework area. I’ve had the opportunity to work on court adjournments, briefs to counsel, Centrelink issues, criminal and road safety issues and public transport fines. In a typical day, along with various general administration duties, I draft and send out letters to clients, courts and police. I have transcribed police interviews, which was valuable after studying police powers of arrest and admissible evidence and confessions. I send out requests for information under the Freedom of Information legislation, and make enquires by phone on behalf of clients to various organisations, including VLA and Centrelink, under continuous guidance from the centre’s solicitors. 

I really enjoy coming into the centre, I’m obtaining valuable experience and I am passionate about protecting the rights of our clients and seeing that they obtain good results.“

Volunteer Alicia Dyer

In Memory of Frank Hulls

1927 - 2004

Frank Hulls lives on at the legal centre. In February 2006, the Centre celebrated the launch of Franks mosaic and Linden Tree. Now staff, committee and clients have an area to sit and reflect.