Archives: Grants (page 43)

Migrant Workers Alliance for Change will provide public legal education directly to migrant agricultural workers on employment, immigrant, worker compensation, and human rights in the Niagara and Durham regions. It will also help to consolidate regional services and referral partnerships in these regions to better serve migrant workers. This will strengthen local support services for the workers and give them the tools to self-advocate for their rights and improved access to justice.

Nokiiwin Tribal Council (NTC) includes six Nokiiwin communities in the Robinson Superior Treaty Territory of northwest Ontario: Animbiigoo Zaagi'igan Anishinaabek Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek; Bingwi Neyaashi Anishinaabek; Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek; Pic Mobert First Nation; and Fort William First Nation. NTC provides services in the access to justice, health and wellness, community development, and education fields. The agency has hired a full time communications engagement officer to develop a detailed outreach and communication strategy to inform people about NTC's justice-related services. The communications engagement officer will visit the six communities on a regular basis to provide residents with information about the NTC's justice department including the work of the community legal worker, restorative justice coordinator, victim support services coordinator, and the half time lawyer who is available to provide legal advice to people with a low income. It is expected that these outreach activities will improve access to justice for First Nations people in the largely rural region.

The Northern Region Transformation Project, which is comprised of 11 legal clinics in northern Ontario, will undertake research to better meet the clinic law-related needs of Indigenous peoples, both on and off of reserves. The research will build an accurate picture of poverty and poverty/clinic law needs in Indigenous communities, explore the role of Indigenous languages and cultural interpretation in effective service delivery, and gather wise practices and gaps in resources and services. The quantitative and qualitative information collected will enable the clinics to enhance service and explore internal and collective organizational changes.

Ontario Justice Education Network will continue the collaboration of a previous grant, "Aboriginal Youth Designing a Better Justice System", a project undertaken in partnership with the Winkler Institute for Dispute Resolution, Justice for Children and Youth and the Ontario Child Advocate. This next phase will focus on working with a group of Indigenous youth to develop one of the three youth-conceived technology prototypes from the August 2017 workshop. The objective of the project is to promote the involvement of Indigenous youth in the justice system and improved relations with law enforcement officers.

Osgoode Hall Law School will conduct activities that respond to access to justice needs in the local community and provide student enrichment opportunities through experiential learning and other means.

Queen's University, Faculty of Law will conduct activities that respond to access to justice needs in the local community and provide student enrichment opportunities through experiential learning and other means.

Social Planning and Research Council of Hamilton will undertake a public legal education initiative for tenants in two of Hamilton's low income neighbourhoods related to preventing displacement due to gentrification. The project will use popular education to increase the knowledge and capacity of tenants to respond to landlords' attempts to displace them. This will allow tenants to better advocate for themselves in the legal process.

Turning Point Youth Services (TPYS) will screen youth entering the criminal justice system for mental health and other needs and connect them to available supports. This pilot will take place at the Ontario Court of Justice at 311 Jarvis St. in Toronto. Partners include Justice for Children and Youth. This grant will benefit youth facing criminal charges at 311 Jarvis. TPYS aims to connect youth to available supports as early as possible to increase the likelihood that they will be diverted from the criminal justice system.

The University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (Common Law Section) will conduct activities that respond to access to justice needs in the local community and provide student enrichment opportunities through experiential learning and other means.