Street Law Brochure
An Outreach Legal Service for the Homeless
Call Street Law on 1800 787 529
Who Street Law helps
Street Law is a specialist program of Canberra Community Law. Street Law is independent of government.
We provide help to people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness. This can include people who are sleeping rough, couch surfing, staying in a refuge or other temporary accommodation. Street Law may also be able to help if your housing is unsafe or insecure or if you are at risk of losing your home.
How can Street Law help you?
Street Law provides free, independent and confidential legal advice and assistance. For example, we can help with a range of legal issues including:
- Proof of ID
- Traffic and other types of fines
- Centrelink issues
- Housing issues
- Minor criminal law
- Employment law
- Debts
- Consumer issues
We may also be able to help in other areas of law or refer you to another service that can help.
Not sure if you have a legal problem?
Contact us and we can help you work through the issue or put you in touch with someone that can help.
No wrong door
Not sure if we are the right service? Street Law can also help connect you with other legal and non-legal services that may be able to help you.
Street Law knows that one problem can lead to another and that early action is important.
How we can help
Our lawyers can usually…
- explain what your legal issues are
- explain how you can access your rights
- put you in touch with other organisations that can help you.
We may be able to…
- assist you with your legal issues
- help negotiate with organisations, government services, lenders and others
- help with tribunals or court hearings
- help with practical problems.
How to contact Street Law
You can contact Street Law by:
- calling Street Law on 1800 STRLAW (1800 787 529) or (02) 6218 7900
- coming to one of our outreach sessions
- dropping into the office to make an appointment
- speaking to any community organisation who can make an appointment for you.
What else does Street Law do?
Community Legal Education
Street Law provides training to the community sector on how to spot a legal issue.
This training can empower workers to refer clients who need legal help.
Street Law can also provide advice to workers about identifying legal issues and help workers refer their clients to the right service.
Street Law also provides training to clients on issues that impact them.
Street Law has developed training on working with vulnerable clients to assist junior lawyers in private firms and government who wish to undertake pro bono work.
Law Reform & Policy
Street Law is well placed to see when a law or process is causing problems for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
When we see a problem, we will work to have the law changed to benefit the community and our clients.
Street Law’s law reform campaigns are driven by real problems experienced by our clients.
Street Law also works with other services and community legal centres to seek law reform and contribute to good policy.
Canberra Community Law acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work in the ACT and surrounding region and pay our respect to the Ngunnawal elders past, present and future for they hold the stories, traditions, and the cultures of their people. We are grateful that we share this land and express our sorrow for the costs of this sharing to Australia’s First Peoples. We will continue to acknowledge the legacy of our history and strive in our goals to empower our community through social justice. We hope that our efforts will contribute to a realisation of equity, justice and partnership with Traditional Custodians of this land.