ROBINA COMMUNITY LEGAL CENTRE Sponsorship Proposal 206 207 "Help us help Gold Coasters in need"
who we are After more than two years of planning and development, Robina Community Legal Centre Inc. (RCLC) opened for community service on 3 February 20. The RCLC is an initiative of local lawyers via the Gold Coast District Law Association. The RCLC is a nationally accredited community legal centre (CLC). The RCLC is located in a state and federally assessed priority need area. In this time RCLC has witnessed a doubling in client attendance (from 65 in 20 to a projected 00 in 206), requiring relocation of our clinic to a larger space and an expansion of clinic advice desks from 5 to 9. Unfortunately, the RCLC is one of 2 Queensland CLC s unfunded by state or federal government. Our practice areas include: Family, Domestic Violence, Consumer and Debt, Employment, Tenancy, Neighbourhood Disputes, Wills and Estates, Crime, Traffic, Micro Business and Immigration Law. We cannot assist with: Personal Injury, Writing Wills, Employers, Landlords, Discrimination, Social Security, Corporate Law. We assist the following priority needs clients: Children And Young People (Up To 2 Years), Financially Disadvantaged People, Indigenous Australians, Older People (Aged Over 65 Years), People in custody and Prisoners, People experiencing, or at risk of, Family Violence, People experiencing, or at risk of, Homelessness, People residing in Rural or Remote Areas, People who are culturally and linguistically diverse, People with a Disability or Mental Illness, People with low education levels and Single Parents. the pitch To leverage $millions of dollars worth of pro bono volunteering from more than,000 Queensland Law Society and Queensland Bar Association members in Gold Coast and local law students... The RCLC desperately needs to employ a Coordinating lawyer / Practice manager. Total Cost: $0,000.00. Evidence of supporting pro bono publico is a community partnership statement and a common business tender requirement. Here is your chance to get involved and be recognised for doing so. RCLC offers fantastic and commercially rewarding returns on partnership investment. Investors in RCLC take confidence knowing the extensive regulatory compliance and annual audits imposed on nationally accredited CLC s. Best of all, RCLC is an ACNC registered charity and ATO deductible gift recipient so donations are tax deductible. x $20,000 3 x $0,000 6 x $5,000 U x $2,000 The following sponsorship levels are available; one Platinum, three Gold, six Silver and unlimited Bronze. Please contact our President Ross Lee for more information: email: president.robinaclc@gmail.com tel: 07 55 7777 Target $ 0,000.00
background Community Legal Centres (CLCs) are independently operating, not for profit, community based organisations that provide free legal and related services to the public, focusing on the disadvantaged and people with special needs. Nationally CLCs provided over 27,695 advices2 for 20/205, however 0,000 disadvantaged and people with special needs were turned away.3 Queensland CLCs provided nearly 50,000 Queenslanders with legal assistance. The Community Legal Centres Queensland CLCQ' is the state body for CLCs in Queensland. CLCQ lists thirty six (36) CLCs in Queensland.5 financial facts An average city in Australia with a population similar to the Gold Coast would maintain at least 2 CLC's. On average, these CLC's would expect to receive funding from Government, Private and Corporate donations in the region of $700,000 per annum. These CLC's would expect to provide around 5000 advices for the same period. This equates to $0.00 per advice. $ 0.00 per advice The Robina Community Legal Centre or RCLC, is funded by membership fees, community, corporate, educational and local government donations fund the RCLC. Unfortunately, this funding is not adequate to run the RCLC and therefore committee members and volunteers are required to run fundraising events. The most recent of these events being a sausage sizzle at Bunning s in Burleigh Waters raising approximately $2,362.00 which also included a donation by Michael Hart MP in the form of the sausages and onions at a value of $53.00. The RCLC annual turnover for 205 was $5,7.07 providing 57 advices. This equates to $.00 per advice. $.00 per advice RCLC, commercially minded management, maximising cost benefit, while maintaining quality client outcomes. Some of our fabulous volunteer lawyers and barristers, from right to left: David Cole, Richard Attwood, Peter George, Joelene Nel, Margaret Miller, Natasha Orr. 2
rclc operations RCLC provides advice to an average of 30 to 35 clients every Thursday clinic night. The advice sessions are supported by a Wednesday administration office operation which secures the prior clinic's records in accordance with privacy and legal practice requirements. This table illustrates the amount of volunteers involved in a weekly advice session in commercial billable hours. Number Rate/hour $ Hours/week Sub Total $ President $550 0 $5,500 Vice President $50 $3,600 Treasurer $50 $3,600 Secretary $50 $3,600 General Committee 5 $00 5 $0,000 University Special Counsellors 2 $00 2 $,600 Community Representative $300 2 $600 SUB TOTAL COMMITTEE 2 $3,000 3 $2,500 Principal Lawyer $550 0 $5,500 Coordinator Lawyer $50 $3,600 Practice Manager $00 $3,200 Law Students 3 $50 $,00 SUB TOTAL BACK OFFICE 6 $,550 30 $,00 Supervising Lawyer $550 $2,200 Admin Law Students 2 $50 $,500 Advice Desk Law Students $50 $,00 Family / DV Lawyers 3 $500 $6,000 Civil Lawyers 3 $50 $5,00 Criminal / DV Lawyer $50 $,00 Employment Lawyer $50 $,00 Migration Lawyer $50 $,00 SUB TOTAL ONE ADVICE EVENING 20 $3,50 32 $25,300 TOTAL / WEEK 3 $7,700 05 $67,900 Role Grand Total / Annum $ 3,259,200.00 That is over $3.2 million worth of free legal advice each year provided by the volunteers at RCLC. Client induction time at our Thursday evening clinic. Volunteer law students from Bond and Griffith University assisting. 3
rclc statistics RCLC Thursday evening clinic advice sessions take place at the Robina Community Centre building. In 20 RCLC provided 5 advice desks and attended to on average 20 clients per evening. Due to demand we now provide 9 advice desks and attend to an average of 30 to 35 clients per evening. Clear evidence of a continuing and growing demand for access to justice on the Gold Coast. This table illustrates RCLC client statistics for the year 205, (Total Clients 57). Admin Law Civil Litigation Micro Business Consumer Law Criminal Law Debt Recovery / Bankruptcy Employment Law Estates Litigation Family / Domestic Violence Migration Law Local Council Tenancy / Body Corporate Misc Total Clients 0 00 200 300 00 500 600 700 200 00 00 900 This table illustrates RCLC client advice yearly totals since inception. Client advice given 20 Client advice given 205 Client advice projected 206 0 200 00 600 00 000 We look forward to seeing these numbers continue to grow with your support. RCLC volunteer lawyers and barristers preparing for a 205 Thursday evening clinic. In 206 RCLC clinic moved to a larger room to accommodate increased client demand.
current funding The RCLC has applied for State and Federal government funding to enable the RCLC to continue their services to the community. Unfortunately, while RCLC believe a strong case for funding has been made (and heard) at all levels of government, the current financial predicament and recently announced funding cutbacks in Community Legal Services suggest funding for RCLC is not a certainty. We are grateful for our current funding which consists of: Membership and Associate memberships, Bond and Griffith Universities, Local Lawyers, Local Government, Private, Corporate and Association and Public fundraising (sausage sizzle fun). Total $ 5,7.0 proposed funding RCLC requires your support. The support is required in the form of partnering donations. Your donation will assist the RCLC to continue their advice services to the Gold Coast Community. There are varying levels of partnership entrance and any support you offer RCLC is a direct contribution to your partnership with the local community. RCLC anticipates the following partner cap: one Platinum, two Gold, six Silver and unlimited Bronze. The partnership benefits are cumulative, each higher tier accrues all lower tier benefits. x $20,000 Naming rights to RCLC office. 3 x $0,000 Logo on RCLC pull up signage and A frame signage, displayed each advice night and at all events. 6 x $5,000 News and events promotion on RCLC website and social media and news and events promotion in email updates. U x $2,000 Logo on the RCLC website, permission to use the RCLC logo. Total Target Goal $ 0,000.00 This will figure will allow RCLC to employ of a full time Coordinating lawyer / Practice manager. RCLC office and Clinic evenings are in the Robina Community Centre Building. Photograph John Mills. 5
value proposition LAW FIRMS Attend RCLC events and gain continued CPD points. Assist in the education of students. Support a pro bono legal program. Use RCLC logo on advertising material. Employee community awareness recognition. Interact with peers through community partnership. Referrals to a partnered organisation. LOCAL GOVERNMENT Obtain community support for economic value. Assist in minimising the effects of domestic violence. Support a pro bono legal program. Use RCLC logo on advertising material. Employee community awareness recognition. Interact with peers through community partnership. Referral to a partnered organisation. CORPORATE PARTNERS Support a pro bono legal program. Corporate responsibility. Interact with peers through community partnership. Use RCLC on logo on advertising material. Attendance to RCLC events. Refer staff and members. Assist in the education of students. Assist the elderly. Assist in minimising the effects of domestic violence. COMMUNITY PARTNERS Support a pro bono legal program. Interact with peers through community partnership. Use RCLC on logo on advertising material. Refer friends. Attendance to RCLC events. Assist in the education of students. Assist the elderly. Assist in minimising the effects of domestic violence. RCLC Student Volunteer Award Cerimony Bond University, from left to right; RCLC President Ross Lee, Bond volunteer winner Elodie Drevelle and RCLC Vice President Adeline Yap. 6
the next step Become an RCLC Partner, Sign the following commitment form and enclose your payment. For any enquires related to this partnering proposal, phone RCLC President Ross Lee on 07 55 7777. NAME: COMPANY: ADDRESS: PHONE: EMAIL: CONTACT: SPONSORSHIP AMOUNT: CHEQUE: CREDIT CARD TYPE: CREDIT CARD NUMBER: EXPIRY DATE: CCV NUMBER: AMOUNT: AUTHORISATION SIGNATURE: Clearly there are benefits of sponsoring / partnering with an recognised Australian CLC brand. The RCLC. RCLC, the only independant pro bono finalist in the 205 Lawyers Weekly Law Awards. 7
references. National Association of Community Legal Centres Community Legal Centres, ( March 206) National Association of Community Legal Centres <http://www.naclc.org.au/cb_pages/clcs.php> 2. Ibid 3. Gabrielle Kopke, Queensland Law Society welcomes short term funding but the fiscal cliff looms, Queensland Law Society (online), January 206 <http://www.qls.com.au/about_qls/news_media/news/headlines/quee nsland_law_society_welcomes_short term_funding_but_the_fiscal_cliff_looms> Retrieved March 206. Ibid 5. Queensland Association of Independent Legal Services, Queensland Community Legal Centre Directory <http://www.qails.org.au/0_directory/search.asp?action=search> Retrieved Match 206. 7. Ross Lee (President) RCLC Annual Financial Report 205 Financial Report, RCLC (30 June 205).. Adeline Yap (Vice President), RCLC Statistics Document, RCLC (6 March 206). attributions Front Cover background photo: Freeaussiestock.com <http://freeaussiestock.com/free/queensland/slides/gold_coast.htm>. Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Front cover insert photo: Robina Community Centre Photograph by John Mills. <http://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/community/robina community centre 30.html>. "Thank you for your support!" Client Advice Intake: 6.30 pm Thursdays GCCC Community Centre, 96 Robina Town Centre Drive, Robina 226 Duty Phone: 023 66 26 Back-office Phone: 07 557 9009 PO Box 30, Southport, 25 www.rclc.net.au www.facebook.com/robinaclc secretary.robinaclc@gmail.com