International PLE

PLE is well established in many countries overseas, especially in countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Their experience offers valuable insights into tried and tested ways of delivering PLE. Many examples are inspirational and offer exciting possibilities for creative thinking here in the UK.

You can also read about 13 overseas equality projects selected as examples of good practice in public legal education here.

Namati: Innovations in legal empowerment

Namati is an international organisation developing innovative grassroots strategies for legal empowerment. They implement legal empowerment interventions in partnership with governments and civil society organisations in several countries and host the Global Legal Empowerment Network where practitioners share resources and experiences. Find out more...

Justice through knowledge: A new vision for public legal education in Vietnam

A fascinating documentary about developing a model for public legal education in Vietnam. The Canadian Justice Education Society worked with the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice and with local people to produce clear, easily-understood legal information for marginalised groups, and in particular for farmers with land disputes and for women on marriage and divorce. Find out more and view the video here ...

Womens' rights and public legal education in China

A glimpse at grass roots public legal education in China aimed at promoting and protecting womens’ rights. Activities to support migrant women in the new industrial centres in Guangdong province are highlighted as well as help for women working in rural areas and in the rapidly expanding cities, such as Beijing. Find out more ...

Public information and law-related education in New Zealand

A review of legal aid in New Zealand, ‘Transforming the legal aid system’ was carried out by Dame Margaret Bazley in 2009. The government published a Legal Services Bill in 2010 based upon the report’s findings which stressed the importance of providing a continuum or a mix of legal services. Legal services in the Bill include the provision of legal information and law-related education as well as legal aid. Find out more...

Know Your Rights - Mockumentary on police powers in Toronto

Tension between the police and the Jane-Finch community in Toronto, Canada has existed for many years. Paul Nguyen, founder of Jane-Finch.com has created a short one hour film called 'Know Your Rights' to inform at-risk youth of their rights when dealing with the police. Find out more...

Cambodian Community Empowerment and Legal Awareness (CELA)

The Cambodian Community Empowerment and Legal Awareness (CELA) programme began in 2008 to support community organisation at the grassroots level by networking, educating and advocating on behalf of disadvantaged people. CELA has been developed by Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia (BABSEA) in partnership with the Community Legal Education Centre in Cambodia. Find out more...

Strategic Service Delivery Model developed in Australia

The National Association of Community Legal Centres (NACLC) has developed a Strategic Service Delivery Model for providing community legal services in Australia. The model illustrates how in Australia, public legal education is recognised as an integral part of providing a community legal service. Find out more...

Legal Literacy Camps (Panchayat Shivir) in India

Legal Literacy Camps set up in villages across India are designed to improve the participation of tribal people in policy debates. Trainers use practical 'power tools' to help redress the balance of power and give marginalised people a voice. There are four overlapping groups – tools for understanding, tools for organising, tools for engaging and tools for ensuring. Find out more...

Health Law Partnership (HeLP) Education Programmes

HeLP was the first health law partnership for children in the Southern United States. They provide free civil legal services to low-income children (and their guardians) who are hospital patients. Their educational partnership promotes public health through interdisciplinary teaching and learning. Find out more...

Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN)

Ontario Justice Education Network (OJEN) works in partnership with community organisations to deliver a wide range of innovative justice education initiatives. These include mock hearings, judge shadowing and court visits. They have developed invaluable resources for legal tutors, judges, lawyers and volunteers. Find out more...

Information about Canada's policy on public legal education and information can be found in Project Tools. Here you will find links to other PLE projects in Canada.

Garvie Reading Room

The Garvie Reading Room based at the Legal Resource Centre in Alberta, Canada holds a unique collection of historical and current materials on public legal education. Find out more ...

Canadian Retrospective (with link to podcast)

A podcast about how PLE evolved in Canada over its 35 year history between Richard Eppick and Carol McEown, who worked at the Legal Services Society of British Columbia, and Lois Gander QC, Founding Director of the Legal Resource Centre and Professor at the Faculty of Extension, University of Alberta.
Listen to the podcast here...

RoseNet

RoseNet was established in Canada as a project to provide improved access to justice for immigrant women in abusive relationships. It provides information in a variety of languages about different types of abuse and safety planning for women. Find out more...

International funding models - recent findings

In 2009, Plenet completed a valuable analysis of funding for public legal education activities in Australia and Canada. Drawing on these experiences, the report makes some important recommendations on how PLE should be funded here in the UK.
Find out more...

International survey of PLE programmes

The Global Alliance for Justice Education (GAJE) held its 5th worldwide conference in the Philippines in December 2008. The conference programme included PLE initiatives and Plenet asked Richard Grimes, a consultant, to carry out a survey of all the PLE programmes covered at the conference. Find out more...

October 2012