Why Volunteer?

• it's rewarding and challenging work;

• you will be working with a respected and dedicated team which is part of a national network of EDO environmental law offices doing ground breaking work in the public interest;

• you can use existing skills and learn and develop new skills in the law and in marketing, communications, IT, publishing, and administration;

• volunteer work is great for your resume and you may be able to receive a letter of reference;

• you gain environmental knowledge;

• you can improve your legal knowledge and skills;

• you can network with others who are interested in the same issues;

• you can make a positive difference to environmental protection and assist the many people and groups who are also working towards this goal;

• you can have fun and work with other like-minded students, lawyers, and environmentally concerned people.

Being a volunteer at EDO-ACT helps our office, with its limited resources, to provide a better service to the community. The Environmental Defenders Office (ACT) Inc. has one part-time solicitor and a part-time administrative assistant.

Law students who have studied environmental law, lawyers, planners, environmental scientists and people with skills in education are encouraged to join our volunteer program, either by working here at the EDO or providing pro bono services.

There are many roles for volunteers at the EDO-ACT. We need help with a wide range of tasks, including:

• legal research
• general office duties, desk top publishing, library cataloguing
• fundraising
• scientific research

The volunteer program also provide volunteers with opportunities to gain experience in the area of public interest environmental law and to improve their skills

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Volunteers admitted to practice as solicitors

Volunteers who are admitted to practice as solicitors and who are available to work during office hours, can register to provide legal advice and assistance, under the supervision of the EDO-ACT principal solicitor. Volunteers admitted to practice may also wish to provide research assistance to solicitors to assist with staff development or responses to law reform proposals or to assist with community education projects.

Volunteers with Law or Science Degrees

Other volunteers holding law or science degrees can assist with research, either during or outside office hours. This research will usually be directed towards assisting solicitors with the provision of advice to clients, developing law or policy reform proposals, or developing and updating community legal education materials."

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Students

Students are also welcome at the EDO-ACT. Law and science students may be able to provide research assistance, including assistance with developing community education materials. Volunteers are needed to answer the phones and undertake other administrative tasks.

All our Volunteers are Valued

The skills and services that volunteers bring to the organisation are highly valued. Feedback will be sought from and provided to volunteers regularly, to ensure that they are getting the most out of their time at EDO-ACT.
Our volunteers include solicitors, barristers, law students, environmental science and NRM students, secondary students, retirees, and lots of other people from all sorts of backgrounds who are concerned about the environment.
If you have skills or experience in the fields of marketing, graphic design, publishing, editing, fundraising, IT, or organising events you are particularly encouraged to apply.

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How to apply

If you are interested in volunteering with EDO ACT you can contact us on 6247 9420 or send an email briefly outlining your relevant skills and experience and preferably attaching a CV. Ideally lawyers and law students volunteering will have studied environmental law or have experience in administrative law, planning or environmental law practice or general civil or criminal law litigation.

Whatever your background, make sure you drop us a line.

Alternatively, you can apply on line.

Applicants will be briefly interviewed before being accepted as a volunteer. We ask our volunteers to make a commitment to a regular work pattern or to work on specific projects with defined and agreed goals and outputs.

What other volunteer opportunities arise at the EDO ?

Administration
Reception
Clerical
Computer skills (word processing, database (Access), desktop publishing )
Website/Library
Photocopying
Mail-outs
Filing
Publications

Assistance with Committee work

Research
Campaign and research work
Writing submissions
Volunteers in this area generally have environmental training.

Information/Resources
Library development
Research.
Web design and publishing

Other Volunteers On Call
Graphic designers
Caterers
Stalls
These volunteers may not give time on a regular basis but are called to do tasks as required.

Other Ways You can Help

• Stay informed. Join our email list for regular updates on environmental law news. Subscribe to Impact, the national journal of the EDO Network.
  Attend workshops and seminars organised or publicised by EDO.

• Become a member of the EDO and support our efforts to achieve environmental justice.

• Write letters to your local newspaper or contact your MLA, MPs and Senators about specific issues that concern you.