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Recruitment pack Internship program

2020/21

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Contents

Section 1: Background information ........................................................................................ 4

Section 2: Internship program ................................................................................................ 7

Section 3: Recruitment process .............................................................................................. 9

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Section 1: Background information

About us The Victoria Law Foundation (the Foundation) is an independent statutory body established in 1967 under the Legal Profession Practice Act 1967 and now governed by the Victoria Law Foundation Act 2009 (Act). The Act has recently been amended to include a new objects clause and updated functions set out below:

4A Object of the Foundation The object of the Foundation is to contribute to the development of a justice system that meets the legal and related needs of the Victorian community by improving knowledge and information about the Victorian justice system.

5 Functions of the Foundation The functions of the Foundation are—

(a) to conduct, commission and disseminate research on the justicesystem, especially in matters relating to access to justice, legalservices and civil justice, including—

(i) collecting and analysing justice system data and information; and

(ii) developing and applying measures to assess the effectivenessand efficiency of the justice system; and

(b) to promote and undertake education within Victoria to improvecommunity understanding of the law and the justice system; and

(c) to educate the legal sector in matters relating to access to justice,including plain language education; and

(d) to make grants to organisations to fund projects and programsconsistent with the functions or object of the Foundation; and

(e) to publish or subsidise the publication of material relating to, resultingfrom, or connected with carrying out the functions or object of theFoundation.

We work in three areas: research, grants and education, set out below. Research Recent changes to our legislated functions mean the Foundation has built a research unit focusing on civil justice.

Research at the Foundation will investigate the legal and related needs of Victorians, and over time, will a make a significant contribution to improving access to justice. We will contribute to building and analysing the evidence base on legal need and services in Victoria, and look closely at which approaches are working and which are not. Having a strong evidence base from which to make good decisions is critical to contemporary policy development and service delivery.

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Grants In 2019, the Foundation adopted a new approach to grants, in keeping with our new orientation towards research. We offer three kinds of grants:

• Knowledge GrantsKnowledge Grants support organisations to develop their capacity to collect data,analyse and share information about civil legal need. Grants of up to $50,000 areavailable, to a total of $200,000.

• Community GrantsCommunity Legal Grants support projects that improve understanding of civil legalissues and the Victorian justice system, where there is evidence of community need.Community Legal Grants are for projects up to $20,000

• Small GrantsThe Small Grants program supports projects that improve community understanding ofthe law and justice system, including Law Week events. These are typically around $2-3,000.

Education The Education team has two core focus areas:

• Events and• the Schools program

Events program The main focus is the delivery of community events throughout the year including:

• Legal Laneway Breakfast (Early February)• Law Week (May)• Law Oration (August or date to suit speaker)• The ‘Law and You’ Community Forum (October)• Better Information Workshops (four times a year)• Plain language workshops (three times a year)• Pilot program, Community Law talks launching in March 2020

Schools program The Schools Program delivers events and programs that engage Victorian secondary school students to improve their understanding of the law and the legal system. Our program is directed to schools in low socio-economic parts of Melbourne and regional Victoria and is curated in consultation with legal and education experts to enliven students’ studies within the curriculum.

The Schools Program delivers the following events: • Metropolitan Law Talks (including Law Week Law Talks)• Law Talks Intensives (two days of intensive learning for regional students, held twice

a year)• Classroom Law Talks (classroom or court-based discussions and presentations)• Headstart (program to prepare students for Year 12 Legal Studies, held in regional

Victoria)• Education Forums (quarterly)• Attendance at Comview – annual conference held by VCE Commerce and Legal

Studies teachers

For further information about our programs see our Annual report.

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Our Board The Foundation has eight board members appointed under section 7 of the Act. Current members of the Foundation board are:

• The Hon Hartley Hansen QC, Chair – nominee of the Chief Justice of Victoria• Belinda Wilson – nominee of the Law Institute of Victoria• Peter Caillard – nominee of the Victorian Bar• Claudia Fatone – nominee of the Federation of Community Legal Centres• Stephen Roche – appointed by the Attorney-General of Victoria• Melissa Castan – appointed by the Attorney-General of Victoria• Peter Noble – nominee of the Board of Victoria Legal Aid• His Honour Magistrate Brian Wright – nominee of the Courts Council

Our staff The Foundation has a staff of approximately 13 FTE with expertise across research, education, grant making and communications. Staff are encouraged to share ideas and work collaboratively to achieve the best results. The Foundation is led by its Executive Director, Lynne Haultain. Ms Haultain has a strong background as a senior executive and is a passionate advocate for access to justice. She is Chair of the Board of Management at the Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture and is a former commissioner with the Victorian Law Reform Commission. She has more than a decade's experience working inside all three levels of government and chaired a seminal Premier's advisory panel on children's services. Ms Haultain also worked with the ABC as a broadcast journalist for 17 years.

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Section 2: Internship program About the internship Our internships offer Victorian law students an opportunity to gain a behind-the-scenes understanding of a non-commercial legal body and to develop networks to assist them in their future careers. 2.1 How many internship placements are available per year? There are between two and four Victoria Law Foundation internships available each financial year. 2.2 How long is the internship and where/when does it take place?

• The next internship will commence in the second half of 2020.• The internship is for 20 days.• Internships usually take place in the winter or summer university holidays, with exact

dates to be negotiated between the intern and the Foundation.• The internship can be taken as part-time or full time and will negotiated with the

Foundation.• The internship is office-based. Victoria Law Foundation is located at

Level 5, 43 Hardware Lane, Melbourne VIC 3000.

Before you submit your application, please think carefully about the internship time commitment and make sure that your academic schedule and other obligations will allow you to undertake and complete the internship.

2.3 Who can apply and what are we looking for? Who can apply? Only current Victorian university students undertaking an undergraduate law degree or JD (juris doctorate) may apply. Penultimate year students are especially encouraged to apply.

Students who have previously undertaken a Victoria Law Foundation internship are not eligible. What types of skills are we looking for? Throughout the selection process we will be looking for applicants that have:

• first-rate oral and written communication skills• strong interpersonal skills and the ability to be a team player• superior organisational and administrative skills• excellent research skills, especially in the use of electronic databases• initiative and ability to work independently.

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2.4 What will I do during my internship? Interns will be paired with a Foundation manager or supervisor and will work across the teams depending on capacity of staff and the interests of the intern. Interns can generally expect the following:

• Exposure to all areas of work o Education including events, schools and profession o Grants o Research o Communications

• Visits to major Victorian jurisdictions and institutions • Attendance at all appropriate meetings and events • Experience researching and drafting documents or other materials • Understanding of systems and processes which underpin the work

If you have a specific interest in one of the areas of work, please specify this in your application and we will do our best to offer you experience in that area. The internship aims to give you an understanding of the work of Victoria Law Foundation and exposure to alternative careers in the legal sector. It is an opportunity to see a broad range of activities which support Victorians in understanding the law. Please note that your supervisor at the foundation may not be a lawyer, and that your allocated project may not be strictly legal in nature. 2.5 Do I get paid? As an intern, you are a volunteer. However, you will receive a modest honorarium of $500 as a contribution towards your out-of-pocket expenses, such as transport and meals. You will be paid half of your honorarium at the beginning of your internship and half at the end of your internship.

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Section 3: Recruitment process

Process The guidelines set out below will help you to complete your application and understand the recruitment process. 3.1 When do applications open and close? Applications open Friday 13 December 2019 Applications close Midnight Monday 9 March 2020 Applications received outside of these dates will not be accepted. 3.2 How do I apply? You must apply for the position online. Applications made via email, post or fax will not be accepted.

Applications are managed through the Victorian Government Careers website, but in most cases you will be able to access this site directly from where the role is advertised. Where this is not the case, applications can be made through our website at www.victorialawfoundation.org.au. The job reference number VG/VLF102.

Please note that in order to apply through the Victorian Government Careers website you will need to be registered for this service. When completing your registration we only require you to complete the compulsory fields.

In order to be considered for the role you must submit the following with your online application:

# Item Suggestions to help you present a polished and complete application.

1 Current CV Ensure that your CV is no longer than three pages and that the text is no smaller than 10 point font.

Please upload as a PDF or Word document.

2 A copy of your academic transcript

Please obtain an academic transcript from your university.

Please upload it as a PDF document.

3 Cover letter, which includes a response to 3 questions.

Address your cover letter to Fabiola Superina, Education Manager.

You must include a cover letter with responses to the following 3 questions.

Please limit your answers to 100 words for each question.

Question 1. Why would you like to work at the Foundation?

Question 2. What skills and/or experience will you bring?

Question 3. Is there anything else that you think might assist us in assessing your application?

Tips on preparing your answers

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• Your answersYour answers should identify your work, volunteerand academic experiences that demonstrate yourpractical skills, knowledge and expertise.

Even in non-legal jobs you will have obtained skillsthat are transferable to an internship, likecommunication and interpersonal skills, problem-solving, the ability to think on your feet, analyticalabilities, etc. Your answers should reflect this.

• Your academic achievementsIf you have an area of achievement that isparticularly applicable, highlight this in yourapplication and explain how your knowledge will beuseful.

If your transcript shows that you have experienceddifficulty in some areas of your study, explain whyand tell us what steps you have taken to remedy this.

• Your demonstrated commitment to communityserviceIf you have prior experience in community service,please highlight this in your cover letter and explainhow the internship would assist you in your careerdevelopment. If you do not have prior communityservice experience, please explain why you want toundertake this internship.

3.3 How are applications assessed? Your internship application will be assessed using the following criteria:

• the overall quality of your application and your responses to the questions• your academic achievements• your demonstrated commitment to community service.

3.4 About the selection process Once you have submitted your application you will receive an email acknowledging receipt.

After the closing date, some applicants will be short-listed for an interview. Please note applicants who are not shortlisted will be notified by email. Due to limited resources we are unable to provide feedback on applications.

Interview If you are selected for an interview you will be contacted at the email address and/or telephone number that you listed on your application. Please make sure your contact information is accurate. We plan to conduct interviews within two to three weeks of the closing date.

If you cannot attend an interview in person you may be asked to reapply next year.

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Interview format Interviews may be conducted in a group format and/or a one-on-one interview format. This will depend on the calibre of applications received in each internship round.

Group interview You and several other applicants will be interviewed together before a small panel composed of foundation representatives.

One-on-one interview Only you will be interviewed before a small panel composed of foundation representatives.

Interview results If you are unsuccessful, you may reapply for an internship next year, provided that you are still eligible. 3.5 Who do I contact for more information? If you have any technical difficulties when applying online, or have any further questions, please contact:

Fabiola Superina T: (03) 9604 8100 E: contact@victorialawfoundation.org.au