New Resources
New Legal Help Resources Online
The Justice Education Society, in partnership with the Law Society of BC, Access Pro Bono, and the Salvation Army Pro Bono Program, has produced a series of new legal help resources in English, Mandarin and Punjabi. Online at www.CourtInformation.ca, the resources help British Columbians access legal services.
Videos
Three videos depict a legal expert answering questions for a group of new immigrants at a workshop. Topics include:
- Getting Legal Help
- Paying for Legal Services
- Preparing to Meet a Lawyer
Worksheets
Practical tools provide information and typical questions to help British Columbians address their legal issues.
- Meeting with a Lawyer
- Representing Yourself
- Unbundled Legal Services
Resource Directory
An extensive directory provides information about and links to numerous online, in-person and phone-based resources.
This project is funded by BC’s Ministry of the Attorney General.
Online Parenting After Separation
Parenting After Separation (PAS) workshops have been delivered in British Columbia since 2004. They provide a facilitated, three-hour session for separating parents to learn skills and strategies to better manage their family break-up.
To help reach parents in remote locations, the Justice Education Society has developed a comprehensive Online PAS course that covers the same topics as the in-person workshops.
The course is multimedia rich and includes videos, audio, text, worksheets and interactive exercises. Virtual facilitators guide participants through the course content to help them make positive decisions about the way they resolve their parenting issues after separation.
To view the course, visit www.FamiliesChange.ca and click “Online Parenting After Separation.”
Online PAS was developed in partnership and with funding support from the Department of Justice Canada and BC’s Ministry of the Attorney General.
Youth and Gangs Resources
The Justice Education Society (JES) hosted a series of workshops titled “Youth and Gangs” in February and March 2011 and the workshop resources are now available online. The workshops helped immigrant youth, parents and settlement workers understand the dangers of gang involvement and where they can get assistance. Over 400 people attended the workshops and the resources are now online.
Video
JES produced an educational video that illustrates the dangers of gang involvement. It presents a scenario where young gang members struggle with their criminal activities, feel threatened, and recruit another youth into their gang. The video is available in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Spanish and Punjabi.
Factsheets
An interactive factsheet provides an overview about gangs in British Columbia. It describes who joins gangs, lies gangs tell, how to avoid getting involved and tips for parents. The fact sheet is available in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Spanish and Punjabi.
Teaching Resources
To help teachers and students discuss the information in the video, a series of teaching resources have been produced: Video Discussion Questions, Facts About Gangs Quiz, and Facts About Gangs Quiz Answer Key.
This project is funded by BC’s Ministry of the Attorney General.
The Justice Education Society and BC Human Rights Coalition have produced a series of videos that help immigrants understand their human rights in BC and Canada. Online at www.JusticeEducation.ca, five videos in English, Mandarin and Punjabi cover the following topics:
- Human Rights in Canada: An overview for newcomers
- Discrimination in the workplace
- Discrimination and renting
- Pregnant? You have rights
- Making a Human Rights Complaint
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This project is funded by BC’s Ministry of the Attorney General.
Events
Free Public Film Screening
The Justice Education Society and We Can BC are partnering with numerous organizations to present Watch Your Drink - a free public film screening and forum on drug-facilitated sexual assault.
The event takes place on April 19 at SFU Harbour Centre. RSVP by April 15 to povaww2011(at)gmail.com.
This event is a part of the Provincial Prevention of Violence Against Women Week (April 17-23, 2011). For more information visit www.WeCanBC.ca.
Teachers’ Law Institute
On February 18, the Justice Education Society held Teachers Law Institutes in Vancouver, Victoria and Kelowna. The subject of the Institutes was “Active Citizenship” and participants were introduced to Being an Active Citizen – a resource for teachers of social studies from grades 7 to 11.
Above: Former Attorney General Wally Oppal talks to participants at the Vancouver Teachers’ Law Institute.
Resource Updates
ImmigrantLegal.ca
ImmigrantLegal.ca has been updated with 24 videos from family law and domestic violence workshops the project organized last year. The workshops taught Settlement Workers, bilingual/bicultural counsellors and other people working with immigrants about family law and domestic violence.
Featured workshops include:
- An Introduction to the New Family Law Rules
- Immigrant Legal Resource Toolkit: Family Law and Domestic Violence
- Family Law and Domestic Violence: Experts Panel
- Intersection Between the Settlement Process and Domestic Violence
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Also, the Frequently Asked Questions for the website’s Employment Standards and Residential Tenancy sections have been updated.
CourtTips Videos
These videos, hosted on SupremeCourtBC.ca, are designed for parents that are going to Supreme Court to change or vary a child support order. They prepare parents for what to expect in court, presenting your case, and avoiding the pitfalls of family matters. The videos have been updated to reflect the new Supreme Court Rules, which were implemented last July.
We Can BC
We Can BC’s website has been updated to include a Facebook “fanbox,” which displays the organization’s recent Facebook posts. You can also now donate online using a credit card or PayPal account.
The funds raised support We Can’s educational workshops, training for Change Makers in schools and communities, production of outreach materials, and the organization of public events that raise awareness and promote open dialogue on the issue of violence against women.
FamiliesChange.ca
This website’s Teens Section has been updated with a new, more user-friendly navigation. And the Kids Section now features a prominent link to KidsBC.ca – an animated, highly interactive website designed to help BC kids experiencing parental divorce or separation. The virtual world of “Changeville” provides a range of information and activities for children to explore and is targeted to children ages 6 to 12.
Program Updates
Youth Cadets Court Visit
The RCMP Youth Cadet Academy is an annual event that happens during spring break for School District #57 (Prince George). The RCMP Youth Cadets are a group of youth in grades 11 and 12 that have applied to learn more about the RCMP and what to expect at depot. These youth come from all over northern BC and are giving up their spring break to participate in this eight-day camp.
On the camp’s seventh day, the group visited the Prince George Law Courts, where Joan Brett, the Justice Education Society’s Northern Regional Coordinator, coordinated a day full of activities. Click here to read her recap.
Society News
Board News
On February 25, former Justice Education Society (JES) board member Margaret Ostrowski, QC received the Women Lawyers Forum Award of Excellence from the Canadian Bar Association’s BC Branch (CBABC).
The award celebrates the accomplishments of a woman who has succeeded in breaking new ground for women in the legal profession in British Columbia. It recognizes an exceptional woman who has taken risks, fostered change and opened doors for women lawyers.
Margaret spent much of her legal career working on access to justice issues including issues of importance to women lawyers. Among her accomplishments are, as CBABC President in 2000, sponsoring the President’s Forum “Creating Success—A Symposium for Women in Law.” As well, she established an association of women and the law which later became the Women Lawyers Forum.
JES joins her colleagues at the CBABC in congratulating Margaret for her outstanding achievement and wish her continued success in inspiring women lawyers throughout the province!
Staff News
The Justice Education Society is sad to say goodbye to a number of people who contributed significantly to many projects: Judy Feng, Jennifer Boundy, Dylan Mazur and Renico Van Wyk.
Just a Click Away Conference
The Justice Education Society collaborated with public legal education organizations across Canada to organize a conference called “Just A Click Away: A National Conference on Technologies for Public Legal Education & Information.”
The Conference took place on February 23 and 24 and included several well-received presentations by JES staff.
JES International Programs Newsletter
The Justice Education Society’s International newsletter was distributed in February. Click here to read it. To sign up to receive the newsletter, email Kevin.Smith(at)JusticeEducation.ca.