May 21, 2010

Justice Education Society introduces new online resources

In May 2009, on its 20th anniversary, the Law Courts Education Society changed its name to the Justice Education Society. The change was made to better reflect the broad diversity of public legal education programs and resources the society produces. Over the past year, new resources produced by the society provide an excellent illustration of this diversity.

ImmigrantLegal.ca

Last month, the Justice Education Society launched a new website for immigrants. The site is a legal toolkit for new immigrants and the people who work with them. It was developed for the Immigrant PLEI Consortium — a group of 12 organizations working together to improve the delivery of public legal education and information (PLEI) to new immigrants.

Numerous resources are available on the site, including fact sheets, forms, frequently asked questions, and instructional videos — some in more than 10 languages. The website’s crowning jewel is an interactive directory of service organizations that can be sorted by region or by one of over 50 languages. (Editor's note: Additional information on immigration law matters is available on Clicklaw.)

Downtown Community Court videos

The society also recently produced three informative videos on Vancouver’s Downtown Community Court. Celebrating its first year in operation, the court takes a problem-solving approach to dealing with offenders who have issues with health, homelessness, and drug addiction. The videos detail how the court works and its role in the community.

AdminLawBC.ca — Now multilingual

The society launched A Guide to Administrative Law in BC 14 months ago, and has now updated the site with information and videos in four languages. Since its launch, this website has proven to be Canada’s premier online resource for administrative law.

KidsBC.ca

The society also developed a website to help BC kids deal with divorce or separation. In the virtual world of Changeville, kids create an avatar that walks through the town, completes various activities, and learns how to cope with a family break up. The website is targeted to children aged 6–12 and can be explored alone or with one or both parents. It also complements the redesigned Families Change website, which provides information on separation and divorce to children as well as teens, parents, and professionals.

CourtInformation.ca

The Court Information Program for Immigrants website is the new online home of the society’s program to enhance access to the courts and justice for immigrants and refugees by eliminating language and cultural barriers.

The website features information in six languages on a variety of subjects, including family law, Canadian law, BC courts, and youth law. It has videos and links to online resources as well as text from the popular resource Learning About the Law.

YCJA.ca

After many years as one of the society’s most popular learning resources, Explore the Youth Criminal Justice Act was re-branded and launched as a distinct website. The site teaches youth and teachers about the Youth Criminal Justice Act — the law that applies to anyone aged 12–17. Students can read articles, take quizzes, and complete assignments. Teachers can read lessons, take a final exam, and obtain professional development credit.

Register online — Justice System Education Program

Community and school groups can now register online for the society’s most popular program. The Justice System Education Program introduces British Columbians to our courts. Participants visit a courthouse, speak with justice system professionals, and experience court in action. Locations throughout the province are available for booking.

Society news

The Justice Education Society operates over 20 websites that cover a variety of topics, including BC’s courts, The Supreme Court Self-Help Information Centre, small claims court, and information for victims of crime. To receive society news, subscribe to the bi-monthly newsletter, or follow the society on Twitter or Facebook.