Special Projects

The Journey Project

This exciting project marks an important partnership between PLIAN and the NL Sexual Assault Crisis and Prevention Centre (NLSACPC). Funded by the Department of Justice Canada, the partnership aims to enhance supports and responses for survivors of sexual violence in Newfoundland and Labrador, particularly within the justice system. This three-year, multi-component project consists of a Legal Outreach Coordinator that will conduct outreach, training, and engagement that is provincial in scope and survivor-centred. Key deliverables include developing and delivering trauma-informed training to justice system personnel, including lawyers, judges, court staff, and police officers, along with other front-line service providers.

An additional component will involve the implementation of a trauma-informed counseling pilot program through the NLSACPC to help meet the comprehensive needs of survivors. The final component of this project involves focusing on the needs of survivors of sexual violence that are also living with a disability.

The project will work to enhance and expand the services and responses available to survivors that have entered or are considering the justice system.

Website Project

Earlier this year, PLIAN commenced a project to develop new, innovative resources for self-represented litigants in the province’s family courts. Funded by the Law Foundation of Ontario’s Access to Justice Fund, we will work with a web developer and with the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador to both upgrade PLIAN’s existing website and develop a forms wizard that will guide users through the creation of Originating Applications and other family law forms for submission to Supreme Court, Family Division and Provincial Court.

Work will continue on this project throughout the 2017-2018 fiscal year, with an anticipated launch date in early 2018.

New Horizons Project

MEDICALLY ASSISTED DYING: LEGAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Over the past year, we developed a brand new presentation intended to explain the recent changes in Canada’s laws on medically-assisted dying, as well as to include related information on legal planning, advance health care directives, and powers of attorney.

Presentations were primarily delivered in partnership with seniors’ groups and 50 Plus Clubs throughout the province. Between April, 2016 and March, 2017, presentations were delivered in St. John’s, Marystown, Hant’s Harbour, Grand Falls-Windsor, Stephenville, Norris Point, Rocky Harbour, Labrador City, and Port Saunders, reaching approximately 650 participants in total.

This project was funded by the New Horizons for Seniors Fund, administered by Employment and Social Development Canada.

Access to justice in both official languages

This project, set to end in July of 2017, aims to provide French information sessions to youth about the legal consequences of cyberbullying and online safety.

During the months of May and June 2016, approximately 540 students between 11 and 18 years of age were reached in the province’s francophone and French Immersion schools. Presentations took place in the schools of St. John’s, Grand-Terre, Notre-Dame-du-Cap, Labrador City, Bay Roberts, Grand Falls-Windsor, Stephenville, Corner Brook, Happy Valley-Goose Bay, and Wabush.

This project was made possible by the Department of Justice Canada through its Access to Justice in Both Official Languages Fund.