About KCLS

 

KCLS is an independent, not-for-profit community legal and social work service based in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia with offices in both Kununurra and Broome, delivering free legal and support services to clients in major towns and outreach locations.

KCLS is the largest remotely located civil law service in Australia, and 85 per cent of our clients are Aboriginal.

KCLS takes an integrated practice approach with professionals from the legal, social work and financial counselling teams working together on individual client matters to ensure a holistic approach in addressing each client’s needs; legal and non-legal. Additionally, through this collaboration, the teams can work on wider, systemic issue affecting our client base and the Kimberley community generally, often teaming up to provide submissions on matters of law reform and public interest.

KCLS forms part of a national network of community-based legal services and is a member of the National Association and Community Legal Centres (NACLC) and Community Legal Centres Association (WA) Inc. KCLS’s participation in a range of networks provides opportunities for joint initiatives and partnerships in professional development, program delivery, policymaking, and law reform.

KCLS is governed by a community-based Board of Management that is reflective of the region.

Funding

We would like to thank and acknowledge all those who support our service

Commonwealth of Australia:

  • Attorney-General’s Department – funding our general legal work, as well as our specialist Family Violence support service and Elder Abuse support and prevention pilot project.

  • National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) – funding our outreach and education work through our Indigenous Women’s Program.

State of Western Australia:

  • Department of Communities – funding our Public Tenancy Support Service and our Financial Counselling Service and traineeship.

  • Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety – funding our Tenancy Advice and Education Service.

  • Department of Justice – funding our general legal work and specialist Family Violence Support Services through a National Legal Assistance Partnership (NLAP) agreement with the Commonwealth Government.

Key partners:

  • knowmore – supporting the delivery of specialist services to applicants under the National Redress Scheme for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse.

  • Donors – contributing to our ongoing work with complex and urgent needs.