Bank support for NSW community legal centre
The Central Tablelands and Blue Mountains Community Legal Centre in NSW has been selected as a recipient of Bank Australia’s annual community customer grant program.
The centre is a non-profit organisation providing free legal advice to people in the Blue Mountains, Oberon, Lithgow, Bathurst, and Orange regions.
Bank Australia has awarded $20,000 towards their Wahluu Health Legal Outreach project, a fortnightly legal clinic at Wundirra Community Centre in Kelso providing culturally safe legal services to First Nations communities.
The Wahluu Health Legal Outreach program focuses on empowering Aboriginal voices in justice reform through early intervention in civil, family, and minor criminal matters to help resolve
issues before they escalate.
It includes culturally responsive activities, such as yarning sessions, legal education, community visits, and participation in cultural events to foster trust and respectful relationships.
Delivered in partnership with Wahluu Health Aboriginal Corporation, the program also provides referral pathways to local health, housing, family violence, and mental health services, supporting clients to address the underlying social issues contributing to legal problems.
“This grant will enable us to deepen our partnership with Wahluu Health Aboriginal Corporation. Together we’re building stronger, more connected services that respond to the needs and strengths of Aboriginal communities,” Arlia Fleming, CEO at the centre said.
As a customer-owned and B Corp certified bank, Bank Australia’s annual community customer grant program awards community customers working in impact areas that matter most to its customers, such as affordable and accessible housing and First Nations Recognition and Respect.
This year, Bank Australia’s community customer grant program is supporting 11 organisations, with $200,000 in grants in total awarded.
Bank Australia Head of Impact Jane Kern said they were committed to supporting organisations working across our key impact priority areas.
“Our customers consistently tell us that First Nations reconciliation and respect is important to them,” she said.
“We’re proud to support Wahluu Health Legal Outreach through our community customer grants program, helping them continue their important work.”
