Toronto

Women's Justice Access Project

The Women’s Justice Access Project responds to the justice and legal needs of socially isolated women in a safe and familiar environment.

What is the system challenge?

Street-involved and marginalized women tend to lack access to reliable and useful information and resources related to legal and justice issues in their lives. Many women are not aware that issues they are facing can and should be addressed through the legal system, which can cause the impact of relatively small legal problems to become more severe if left unaddressed.

Access to traditional legal support and representation is often impeded by:

  • referral fatigue,
  • difficulty navigating the complexities of the justice system,
  • lengthy waitlists,
  • the need to travel to appointments with limited means of transportation,
  • significant mobility impairments (especially among older women and people with physical disabilities)
  • lack of trust in unknown institutions and services, and
  • the absence of respectful and trusting relationships

What are we doing about it?

The Women’s Justice and Legal Walk-in Service offers support to clients at the Fred Victors Women’s 24 hour Drop-in service. Lawyers and other legal professionals will provide a tiered approach to support that responds to the intensity of needs and circumstances of women. These tiers include general group legal information sessions, workshops, basic screening and assessments, referrals, and 1 on 1 consultations

The Women’s Justice and Legal Walk-in Service aims to:

  • Build understanding of how justice and legal processes create personal impacts
  • Enhance ability to navigate the world of legal services
  • Improve ability to access services and supports related to the justice and legal systems Address questions and concerns related to the justice and legal systems
?What's this?

Initial Implementation

Women’s Justice Access Project partners are currently working together to build capacity of on-site and partner agency staff to better support street-involved and marginalized women to identify and address legal issues in their lives. On-site group information sessions, skill building workshops, informal one-on-one consultations, and formal legal services are being adapted to operate out of the Fred Victor 24-hour Drop-in.

How do we know it works?

I couldn’t believe what changed in just a few hours and now I can go home and see my family thanks to you and Downtown Legal Services! I know it is hard to get this result. You really did the best job for me.I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it!”

— Fred Victor 24/7 Drop-in client

Next Steps

  • Continue engagement with legal clinics to provide low-barrier, onsite supports
  • Pilot Downtown Legal Services student placement program
  • Develop and deliver capacity building opportunities for FV24DI staff and clients
  • Pilot revised/enhanced intake tool to determine effectiveness at identifying and addressing legal needs

Who is involved?

Project Partners

  • Fred Victor
  • Legal Aid Ontario
  • Downtown Legal Services
  • CLEO
  • Metrac
  • HALCO

Advisory Committee

  • COTA
  • Toronto Bail Program
  • SPIDER
  • Elizabeth Fry
  • Toronto Drop-in Network
  • Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto

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