Social Work Students at Women’s Legal Service Victoria

Four Monash University Social Work students are currently undertaking their placements at Women's Legal Service Victoria (WLSV) in Melbourne. This organisation works with women facing significant barriers to justice, primarily with issues arising from relationship breakdown and violence against women. The placement is a pilot project and the students have developed a model and are trialing social work provision at the service. The project seeks to enhance the existing legal service and provide an integrated holistic support model for the benefit of women who are clients of the service. So far, social work students are gaining useful community service and legal sector experience, as well as working with a diverse range of clients and professionals and also contributing their ideas and skills to the organisation.

The Social Work Service is delivered by social work students under the supervision of an experienced social worker provided by the Monash University Social Work Department. The student social workers have been supporting clients with their particular needs including; information and referrals, assessments, problem solving, advocacy, court support and preparation and counselling. The Social Work Service pilot project runs between October and December 2015.