Archives: Grants (page 8)

Level will deliver and grow its three youth programs in Ontario: (1) the Indigenous Youth Outreach Program (IYOP), a justice education and mentorship program for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit youth, (2) the Environmental Justice Program, a program to provide knowledge and skills for youth to advocate for environmental justice, and (3) the Black Youth Justice Program, providing justice education and mentorship to Black youth. These programs encourage youth to increase their critical thinking and leadership skills and their knowledge of the law and careers in justice.

The FCJ Refugee Centre serves refugees and others at risk due to their immigration status through all steps of the refugee determination and refugee appeals processes. The Centre primarily works with refugee claimants, rejected refugee claimants, individuals with precarious immigration status, temporary foreign workers, and those who have been victims of human trafficking. It also provides training workshops and legal education materials for frontline workers who serve refugees in the Greater Toronto Area and other parts of southern Ontario on aspects of the immigration and refugee process and procedures. The Catalyst grant will help the Centre to ensure it has the capacity and expertise to serve its clients and assist other organizations to do so, as well as to ensure its evolution and sustainability.

Aboriginal Legal Services (ALS) supports Indigenous community members across Ontario who are experiencing legal issues. ALS offers legal services such as court workers, Gladue services, a post-charge diversion program, an alternative dispute resolution program for child welfare matters, and justice circles. This initiative will enhance Indigenous communities’ access to legal services that are culturally responsive.

The Workers Action Centre (WAC) will expand their reach to benefit temporary, low-wage and precarious workers across southern Ontario. WAC will operate a workers' rights phone line in 6 languages and lead workshops about workers' rights to improve access to justice for multi-racial and immigrant workers who have little protection and power in the workplace, and who are unable to adequately deal with violations or access labour and human rights protections.

The Criminalization of Women Pro-Bono Project at the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic (BSCC) will provide trauma-informed summary legal advice, brief services, high need case management, and referrals to women and non-binary people who have experienced gender-based violence and have been charged with or convicted of a criminal offence. This initiative will connect women and non-binary people to responsive and trauma-informed legal support.

The Probono Inmate Appeal Program (PIAP) coordinates and supports a roster of experienced criminal appellate counsel to act as duty counsel on the appeals of unrepresented appellants in criminal cases before the Court of Appeal for Ontario. PIAP will also provide guidance on procedure and strategy for ineffective assistance of counsel appeals. This initiative will enhance unrepresented appellants’ access to legal support.

The Canadian Centre for Housing Rights (CCHR)’ Pro Bono and Public Education Program provides legal support that is tailored to the needs of low-income tenants in Ontario who face eviction or experience human rights violations connected to their housing. CCHR offers educational programming for service providers, workshops for community members, system navigation support, and referrals to volunteer lawyers. CCHR will also research emerging and ongoing legal challenges in housing across Ontario, enhance staff training on diversity, equity and inclusion, and implement a development strategy and impact measurement framework. This initiative enhances tenants’ access to timely and reliable legal support.

L'Association des juristes d’expression française de l’Ontario (AJEFO) will offer public services including free 30-minute consultations with a lawyer, in French or English, to anyone with a legal problem in the province. AJEFO also operates cliquezjustice.ca, which houses simplified legal information to assist users to better manage everyday legal issues. AJEFO also hosts legal workshops, and creates simplified legal resources for vulnerable groups. Additionally, it facilitates Law Days, which provide an opportunity for secondary students in French-language high schools to explore themes related to justice. This initiative will enhance Ontarians' access to French language legal services

Connecting Ottawa coordinates a consortium of over 50 legal and non-legal organizations to implement a regional plan to provide legal information and referrals to people who are not proficient in English or French or who face communication challenges as the result of a disability or sensory impairment. The initiative enhances linkages between legal and community workers in Ontario.

EmpowerHer Diversity Hub will conduct a legal needs assessment to better understand the legal needs and available resources for agricultural workers, international students, and other vulnerable groups in Ontario including survivors of gender-based violence with precarious immigration status. Research results will inform the development of resources that address the most pressing legal needs of the community, as well as produce a map that identifies existing legal resources and services available to the target communities.