Health centre benefits from legal program

The Peninsula Women's Health Centre at Woy Woy is to benefit from a special program to give Central Coast women a better understanding of, and access to, the legal system.

Assistant Planning Minister, Ms Diane Beamer, launched the program on Wednesday, March 3.

"Negotiating the minefields of the legal system can be a daunting process," Ms Beamer said.

"This program, Central Coast Law for Women, is being coordinated by the Women's Legal Services NSW and will provide community legal education as well as free legal advice for women on the Central Coast."

Included in the program is a series of information workshops covering such topics as Family Law and Children's issues, Domestic Violence, Tenancy, Discrimination and Employment.

Free legal advice will be available under the program for women on specified days from three Centra! Coast locations;

"Volunteers are being trained by a qualified solicitor to recognise legal problems and provide advice to other women or refer them to the appropriate organisations for assistance," Ms Beamer said,

The NSW Government is providing $58,900 funding over two years through the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources' Area Assistance Scheme.

Welcoming the project, Minister for the Central Coast, Mr John Della Bosca said the Area Assistance Scheme provides vital funding for many communities throughout NSW.

"The NSW Government has provided more than $79 million for Area Assistance Scheme projects since 1995, including $5.5 million for programs on the Central Coast," Mr Della Bosca said.

The funding goes to meeting identified community needs in regions experiencing the impacts of significant population growth or economic change.

"This project enables women to help other women within their community," he said.

"Information sharing and assistance at a grassroots level leads to stronger ties within those communities," Ms Beamer said.

Press release, March 3