CCLC CLIENT INFORMATION
What happens when I contact the Centre?
When you seek assistance from the Cairns Community Legal Centre Inc (the Centre), we assess what services we can provide. If the Centre cannot assist, you may be referred to another service.
If the Centre is able to provide you with assistance beyond a referral, we collect your full name, contact details, information about your matter and the full names of any other parties and any other necessary details.
It is necessary for the Centre to collect this information so that we can assist you. If you choose not to provide this information we may not provide you with a service.
Our funders also require us to collect demographic and other information for statistical and evaluation purposes. Information identifying clients is not provided to funders or evaluators. However, you do not have to provide this information to us if you don’t want to.
Privacy Notice
For more information about your privacy, and how we deal with your personal information, please refer to our Privacy Notice on our website, or ask us for a copy of our Privacy Brochure.
Your Rights
When you seek assistance from the Centre you are entitled to:
- quality services regardless of your ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender, sexual identity, social status , health status or disability
- be treated with courtesy, respect and consideration
- receive accurate information /advice based on information you provide
- ask questions to make informed choices and your own decisions about your matter
- be given reasonable time to consider the information and advice you have been given
- ask for a support person
- ask for an interpreter
- privacy and confidentiality of your personal information unless disclosure is necessary in order for us to provide you with a service or is authorised or required by law or necesary for us to meet our obligations
- ask to have access to your information
- let the Centre know if you have any particular problems or needs
- provide feedback or make a complaint
Your responsibilities?
When you seek assistance from the Centre you also have responsibilities. For example:
- make an appointment and let the Centre know if you want to cancel or reschedule – your time slot can be given to someone else
- come prepared for your appointment eg: have details of your problem ready, bring relevant documents and a list of questions you want to ask
- information and advice provided by the Centre is based on the information you give us. It is therefore important that you provide complete, relevant, honest and accurate information
- be prepared to go to another service
- provide details of where you can be contacted and let the Centre know if these details change. If you don’t do this we may not be able to pass important information onto you
- co-operate with Centre workers and treat everyone at the Centre with courtesy, respect and consideration
- do not bully, intimidate or harass anyone at the Centre
- remember we are trying to help you and that some Centre workers are volunteers giving their own time to help
The Centre may refuse or cease provision of services if you do not meet your responsibilities.
Other useful information
- Your appointment is for a limited time only. All of your questions may not be answered in this time. You may have to come back to see us again or you may be referred to another service
- Any work done by the Centre beyond your first appointment is by agreement only
- Where volunteer workers provide assistance to you following your appointment they are no longer providing that follow up work to you in their capacity as a Centre worker
- While our services are usually free, there are some times when you may have to pay for out of pocket expenses or other costs. If applicable these will be discussed with you.
- The Centre has limited resources. This restricts the services that can be provided and means that changes to services can occur without notice.
- The Centre also does not usually provide court representation.
- Clients advices are provided up to a maximum of 3 advices per matter in any 6 month period (with a maximum of 2 matters in any 6 months).
- Sometimes the Centre cannot assist regardless of a person’s social or financial circumstances. Referrals are made where possible.
