Archives: Grants (page 4)

YWCA Hamilton will create two roles to meet the specific legal needs of two groups: pregnant/parenting women who have been incarcerated or involved in the justice system and women involved in the sex trade (who have an inherently higher risk of being involved with the justice system). YWCA Hamilton will provide court and legal navigation support and specialized information and connection to services around family law, custody, medical access, child welfare and visitation, and other family law needs. It will also host ‘Know Your Rights’ workshops that provide women with a safe space to access relevant legal information, ask questions, and share experiences and challenges in accessing legal services.

In response to harmful interactions between police and racialized neurodiverse youth, Youth Alliance for Intersectional Justice will implement consultations with community agencies that work with racialized neurodiverse youth, and will host education forums with young people to strategize improved interactions between police and racialized neurodiverse youth in the Greater Toronto Area. Upon completion of these activities, an impact report with recommendations will be produced. Resources for racialized neurodiverse youth will also be created and housed on an online database, supporting them to access legal information regarding their rights that avoids legalese and complex content.

Direct Your Life, in partnership with correctional and probational institutions, will develop a comprehensive guidebook to support individuals navigating parole or probation in Ontario. The guidebook will provide clear, practical legal information and resources tailored to individuals on parole and probation. The guidebook will support groups who are overrepresented in the criminal justice system and who face greater barriers to accessing legal information and other supports, particularly women, racial minorities, and individuals with lower socioeconomic status.

HIV Legal Network will produce legal resources and deliver workshops that respond to pressing legal questions that shelters have about enhancing access for women and gender-diverse people who use drugs. Information will also outline shelters’ human rights and public health obligations to provide low-barrier, non-discriminatory care.

The Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation will receive additional support for a triage lawyer to continue to provide timely and free legal services to families who experience barriers to system navigation and/or access to resources, covering a comprehensive range of legal issues. The program recognizes and responds to the financial hardship that families of children and youth with disabilities are more likely to experience arising from legal challenges, related to loss of employment or immigration status, language barriers, workplace or school accommodations, and difficulty navigating government and community support services.

Vision of Hope Resource Centre's Youth Legal Empowerment Project Needs Assessment will implement a community survey to better understand the landscape of anti-Black racism affecting youth in Brampton and Peel Region and gaps in programs and services for Black and racialized youth within the community and criminal justice system.

Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS) delivers an academic and extra-curricular program to teach young people about law and justice and to support them in graduating high school, accessing post-secondary education, gaining summer jobs related to legal public interest and social justice organizations, and considering a justice or legal career. It focuses on high school students experiencing barriers to postsecondary success.

The Métis Nation of Ontario’s Advocacy Program increases the understanding of individual rights, responsibilities, and the legal system, encompassing knowledge and awareness of laws, regulations, and legal processes, including Gladue report supports and services, that affect the lives of Métis people.

Black Law Students’ Association of Canada (BLSA Canada) will host its annual conference benefiting Black law students from across the country. BLSA Canada aims to foster connections between Black law students and legal professionals to promote professional development, legal education, and cultural awareness within the legal sector.

Horizons, in collaboration with the Northumberland Community Legal Centre and Niagara Community Legal Clinic, will develop a new collective program that will provide legal education and support to Migrant Agricultural Workers (MAWs) in Northumberland County and Niagara Region. The initiative will deliver legal information sessions, provide on-farm outreach, and enhance knowledge exchange between the partners to create best practices. As the number of MAWs increases in the region, including those who are in Ontario year-round, the project aims to address the gaps in legal services and education for MAWs in understanding their legal rights in Ontario.