Access to Justice & Law Reform Institute of Nova Scotia
“The Access to Justice & Law Reform Institute of Nova Scotia is deeply grateful for the support of the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia. Without the Foundation’s support, we would have been unable to operate for 27 years as the Law Reform Commission of Nova Scotia, and we would not have been able to transition to the Access to Justice Institute. The Law Foundation consistently proves itself to be a strong champion for law reform and access to justice in Nova Scotia.”
Ilana Luther, Executive Director
Access to Justice & Law Reform Institute of Nova Scotia
Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre & Sexual Assault Services Association
“The Justice Matters for Women program is a response to the challenges and complexities that rural women experience in their lives. Because of the program, women are able to facilitate change, open up new opportunities, and gain dignity, respect and new knowledge. We are able to provide these programs and supports to rural women and girls through the generous support of the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia.”
Wyanne Sandler, Executive Director
Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre & Sexual Assault Services Association
“The Justice Matters for Women program is a valued and much used service providing rural women with access to legal information, individual support, and advocacy. As the outreach worker, I support women as they identify barriers and navigate challenges. I work with them to create solutions that fit their circumstances. I assist women to navigate these issues by providing resources and accompaniment. This program is an essential service that works to mitigate the loss of government services in rural communities as the program supports rural women and adolescent girls in accessing information about their rights.”
Marcia Connolly, Outreach Worker, Justice Matters for Women
Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre & Sexual Assault Services Association
Avalon Sexual Assault Centre
“What a positive impact funding from the Law Foundation has had on Avalon’s work! Funding from the Law Foundation has supported the Avalon Sexual Assault Centre in embarking on legal research and best policy practices, expanding our navigation program, and offering education and legal training to service providers and the wider community. Thank you!”
Dee Dooley, MA
Coordinator of Prevention, Intervention, and Awareness
Avalon Sexual Assault Centre
Concilio Prison Ministry – St. Luke’s Renewal Centre
“With the generous support of the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia, Concilio Prison Ministry, through St. Luke’s Renewal Centre, offers retreats and small group activities for inmates inside the CSC Springhill Institution. The home-like atmosphere of St. Luke’s creates a safe place and space for inmates to experience healing, personal growth, and fosters a new vision for their life.”
Clarence DeSchiffart, Board Chair
Concilio Prison Ministry
Elizabeth Fry Society of Cape Breton
“Funding from the Law Foundation has provided the Elizabeth Fry Society of Cape Breton the financial stability to assist criminalized women island-wide in specialized courts, and to offer programming and support. Such access to justice work contributes to increasing collaboration between advocates, lawyers, and criminalized women. This work, then, leads to alternatives to incarceration, better referrals to services, and improvements in housing. Thank you.”
Darlene MacEachern, Executive Director
Julie Kendall, Associate Executive Director
The Elizabeth Fry Society of Cape Breton
Educational Programs Innovations (EPIC) Youth Peer Program
“For 15 years, Law Foundation support has been vital to the delivery of the Youth Peer Program. The Law Foundation has not only ensured EPIC’s sustainability, it has also enabled Youth Peer to grow, providing weekly after-school tutor-mentor services which positively transform the lives of 90 youth each week from 25 schools in 4 communities with 90% assessed as being at high risk of social conflict.”
Example of Impact
“Three months ago, EPIC received a referral for a youth removed from school for violent behaviours. A mental health and school roundtable had determined that the youth should attend an alternate program 2 hours/week with no student contact. One mental health clinician who knew EPIC well pleaded with the group to let him try Youth Peer. The group relented, but with strong objections and warnings. From his first day, this boy was welcomed to Youth Peer without judgment or fear. He stayed with his matched youth volunteer, participated in tutoring, and stayed for a guitar lesson. He has now attended more hours in Youth Peer than he is allowed in school. Despite having a risk profile as high as any we’ve seen, this youth is engaged in the process of learning and socializing appropriately. He is still a challenging kid, but he is a drastically different person in this nourishing environment. He recently told his volunteer that Youth Peer is the only place he feels safe. We know that he also feels accepted, supported, and understood, and that this enables him to get along with staff and participate adaptively with other youth.”
Barry Waldman, volunteer Executive Director
Educational Programs Innovations (EPIC)
Indigenous Blacks & MI’kmaq (IB&M) Initiative
“The Law Foundation’s ongoing support of the Indigenous Blacks & MI’kmaq (IB&M) Initiative has helped to enable African Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaw students to access legal education and become leaders in the legal profession – working with and on behalf of their respective communities. As we move into our 30th Anniversary year, we say ‘thank you!” to the Law Foundation for 30 years of partnership and support of the IB&M Initiative.”
Prof. Michelle Y. Williams, BSW, LLB, LLM
Director, Indigenous Blacks & Mi’kmaq Initiative
Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University
Kings County Seniors’ Safety Society
“The support of the law foundation has funded the Kings County Seniors’ Safety Society’s Program Coordinator in the promotion and enhancement of the safety, security and well-being of seniors in Kings County. The program provides informative and educational material of interest to seniors, including information related to potential seniors’ abuse, fraud and scams. The Coordinator also provides information regarding the importance of such legal instruments as personal directives, powers of attorney, and wills. Being informed ensures that Kings County seniors may better avoid victimization and thrive within the community in a more secure and comfortable environment.
Here is one example: The Coordinator organized a Fraud Chat in Berwick with the local Community Policing Officer. It had a really well attended group of seniors (100 attendees) from the area. The following comment is provided by the Berwick CAO following the event. ‘Wow, what a turnout! Well done and thank you for the work you do in our community.’ ”
Daisy J. Dwyer, Board President
Kings County Seniors’ Safety Society
Leave Out Violence (LOVE) – Succeed and Proceed Program
“Support from the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia has been highly valuable to LOVE Nova Scotia’s programs over the years. Currently, the Foundation supports LOVE’s Succeed & Proceed Program, which equips youth with the employment and life skills, support, and resources to succeed in their lives, and also provides them with 24/7 on-call support. We are thankful for the Foundation’s ongoing belief in our work.”
Jaime Forsyth, Fund Development Manager and Youth Worker
Leave Out Violence (LOVE)
Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia (LISNS)
“The support provided by the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia to the Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia ensures that Nova Scotians receive high quality legal information, when they need it, and in the manner they need it. The Foundation’s support is critical to LISNS delivering access to justice on a daily basis to the many Nova Scotians who contact us through our telephone helpline, e-mail, livechat and website, in addition to our award winning public navigator programs. The support provided by the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia reflects the value of the importance of services such as those provided by LISNS, services which improve the chances that every Nova Scotian may have the confidence and skills to spot, prevent, and solve legal problems; and, that every Nova Scotian may have access to legal help and justice when they need it, and in the form that may best address their needs.”
Heather de Berdt Romilly, B.Comm., LL.B., LL.M.
Executive Director
Legal Information Society of Nova Scotia (LISNS)
Mainline Needle Exchange
Community Based Legal Support and Education Project
“…What has the Law Foundation grant done for Mainline? The Community Based Legal Support and Education Project is a small portion of what Mainline does, overall, but, the Project supports so many of people we serve! The Foundation grant support serves to allow us to provide much-needed services, to “Step forward and do the hard and unseen jobs. To give of ourselves, measuring our own success not by wealth or comfort, but by the lives we may touch along the way”. Thank you so much!”
Diane Bailey, Program Director
Community Based Legal Support and Education Project
Mainline Needle Exchange
reachAbility Association
“reachAbility is an organization dedicated to equalizing the playing field for people facing barriers. Through the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia grant, we have been able to better achieve this mandate by partnering with lawyers and the disability community to provide free legal services to persons with disabilities. This grant laid the foundation for our involvement in the disability community and has led to other successful projects like the Bluenose Ability Film Festival. We sincerely thank the Law Foundation of Nova Scotia for this grant, which helps to equalize the playing field for Nova Scotians in the legal system.”
Nathan Kaulback, Legal Services Coordinator
reachAbility Association
Stepping Stone – Tipping the Scales
“Stepping Stone’s Tipping the Scales program provides current and former sex workers who have come into contact with the Criminal Justice System, with direct support and assistance in the navigation of the system. This is an important program for Stepping Stone and ensures that sex workers that come into contact with the law on a regular basis are more likely to receive equal treatment and access to legal representation, as well as empowerment through education about their rights and responsibilities. Without the support of the Law Foundation, Stepping Stone would not be able to offer such a vital and important service to our program users.”
Diane Bailey, Executive Director
Stepping Stone – Tipping the Scales
“ When I was at my lowest point, I had lost everything and felt completely alone, Linda (of Tipping the Scales) came into my life. I had court charges. Linda helped me get into Mental Health Court and because of her support, I have no criminal record. When I turned my life around, Linda helped me become a volunteer in the community and, because of that, I was able to get full time employment doing what I love! It’s because of this program and people like Linda that I have a second chance.”
Anonymous client
Stepping Stone – Tipping the Scales