The Justice Advocacy Service is calling on people in Tamworth and Gunnedah to volunteer their time, as a shortage of local support workers leaves vulnerable clients navigating the legal system alone.
The Justice Advocacy Service supports young people and adults with cognitive impairment in contact with the NSW criminal legal system, including as victims, witnesses and suspects or defendants, to exercise their rights and fully participate in the process.
Volunteer Program Coordinator Lara Mansfield said the service was searching for volunteers not just in Tamworth and Gunnedah, but also in Moree, Inverell and Armidale.
“We are desperate to find volunteers in all of those areas,” Ms Mansfield said.
The service needs people who are available during business hours and can keep the whole day free when they are volunteering, and is looking for people who want to commit long term so they can work consistently with clients. In some other parts of NSW, volunteers have stayed with the service for more than 20 years, Ms Mansfield said.
Currently, just two volunteers cover the region, after years of searching for more.
“We don’t need a cast of thousands,” Ms Mansfield said, “even if we had 5 more people that would make a huge difference to our service delivery.”
At court, a volunteer meets a client and helps them navigate the day, assisting them to speak with their lawyer, understand court outcomes and providing side-by-side emotional support on what can be a very stressful day. At a police station, a volunteer supports a person to understand their rights and get legal advice. With extra training, volunteers can also support clients at correctional facilities when they appear before the court by video-link.
Ms Mansfield said the support was critical because people with cognitive impairment are more likely to fall through the cracks of the legal system, facing challenges understanding their rights, following conditions, social disadvantage, and stress and anxiety. People often feel alone, whether they are a victim, witness or defendant, and having someone walk alongside them makes all the difference, with volunteers able to help break the cycle of disadvantage, she said.
Without a volunteer, the process is simply harder for a client. Volunteers also remind clients that they have court, which helps them turn up in the first place.
Without that support, people are more likely to reoffend due to a lack of understanding, victims of crime are less likely to be heard, and people are more likely to receive gaol sentences with little support once incarcerated, losing their community and disability supports, and often their housing, Ms Mansfield said.
For those considering the role, the time commitment is manageable. A day in court runs from 9am and finishes anytime before 4pm, depending on the outcome, and most volunteers commit to once a month, although more frequent volunteering is welcomed.
New volunteers complete a comprehensive two-day online training course alongside people from across NSW, before being linked with a local staff member to put the theory into practice.
No specific background or qualifications are needed, with the training program giving volunteers everything required for the role. The service is after people who are available during business hours, have good communication skills and are non-judgemental.
Anyone in Tamworth or Gunnedah interested in volunteering can contact Lara Mansfield on 0438 843 129 or email volunteer@idrs.org.au. More information is available at the JAS volunteer FAQ page.
“We wouldn’t be able to do the great work that we do without volunteers, and we look forward to extending our program in the New England area with more volunteers,” Ms Mansfield said.
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