Fireside Chats: Experiences in Building Capacity for Legal Services in Canada
March 17, 2010
BY Alison Taylor
The event will be hosted by Dot Bonnenfant and will start on March 18, 2010 at 13:00.
This Fireside Chat is the second in the series, in collaboration with the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse , following up on the National Perspectives on Elder Abuse: Join the Conversation Conference held on November 3 & 4, 2009
From her experience in setting up and operating the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly, a community legal clinic in Toronto, open since 1984, Judith will discuss important practical lessons learned about this type of legal service, including what it means to be accountable to the seniors community, the “good law- bad practice” challenges in elder law, and the benefits of engaging in a range of legal services (client representation public legal education and law reform advocacy) to establish an effective elder law practice.
Building local capacity to increase legal services to older adults in Canada is critically important. Older adults need substantive access to justice. In Canada, we have a critical shortage of legally trained professionals who can advocate on behalf of Canadian seniors. It is clear that we must work creatively and closely to address this significant gap. However, there is no “one size fits all” solution to this ever-increasing need.
This session brings together Laura Watts, National Director of the Canadian Centre for Elder Law and Judith Wahl, Executive Director of the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly to provide perspectives of national and local experiences in this field.
First, Laura will highlight various models used to build local capacity for legal services for older adults in Canada, and around the world, emphasizing differing systems, funding sources and local realities. She will then address some options and practicalities towards bringing key local players into the same ‘big tent’. Last, she will tease out some of the pragmatic, and often thorny issues associated with defining the legal services’ scope of practice.”
From her experience in setting up and operating the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly, a community legal clinic in Toronto, open since 1984, Judith will discuss important practical lessons learned about this type of legal service. This will include what it means to be accountable to the seniors community, the “good law- bad practice” challenges in elder law, and the benefits of engaging in a range of legal services (client representation public legal education and law reform advocacy) to establish an effective elder law practice.
Advisors on Tap
Laura Watts,
National Director, Canadian Centre for Elder Law – Vancouver, British Columbia
Staff Lawyer, British Columbia Law Institute
Judith Wahl,
Executive Director, Advocacy Centre for the Elderly – Toronto, Ontario
More about the series:
Based on the success of the National Perspectives on Elder Abuse: Join the Conversation Conference held on November 3 & 4, 2009, the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse is providing individuals the opportunity to Continue their Conversations.
During the month of March, 2010 ONPEA will be hosting three (3) Fire Side Chats for individuals to dialogue on important issues/outcomes from the conference and Wrap Session “Continuing the Conversation: Last Chance To Have Your Say”. When delegates were asked where “resources ($)” should be focused or directed over the next year or two in the area of elder abuse services including financial resources, time and energy, the response was:
Focus on Front Line Services – including coordination of services, resources, training, multidisciplinary approach. On average, the groups assigned 31 percent of their available resources to this area.
Legal Services and Legislation Issues – including access to legal services. On average, groups assigned 22 percent of their available resources to this area.
Focus on Education – including public awareness, training for workers, professionals in the legal system and law enforcement. On average, the groups assigned 20 percent of their available resources to this area.
These Fireside Chats are open to anyone working in the field, and want to connect with others across Canada working on elder abuse prevention and intervention initiatives which allows for continued communication and information exchange among those working in the field. Furthermore, these Fireside Chats will facilitate on-going discussion, generation of ideas and sharing of information as well as a collective voice on specific elder abuse issues to present and bring forward to the Federal Elder Abuse Initiative.
