The Community Advocates Project seeks to empower and re-power individuals and communities to demand and attain accountability and greater access to the justice system. Framing engagement as survival, WJC and the Community Advocates Project leverage access, resources, and legal tools to create spaces for individuals and communities to be free.

 

As advocacy-informed members of their community, Community Advocates will support and empower individuals and communities to access, attain, understand and act on their rights, through education, support, step-down trainings and dissemination of Information about how to access rights.

 

Living and working in their communities, Community Advocates combine formal and informal skills and tools to navigate the justice system, mediate disputes, and assist marginalized community members in addressing core legal and social conflicts. Community advocates steward resources and support individuals in accessing legal services in a timely manner and with the information needed. In some cases, the information provided by community advocates can assist individuals to avoid the need for costly and/or time intensive legal services by helping the individuals to understand the actions they need to take to prevent it reaching the level where legal services are needed. In other cases, where legal services may be needed, the information and training provided by community advocates supports individuals to come better prepared.