Events

Launch of the Multidisciplinary Practice

14 June 2016, 5:30PM-7:30PM

The CIJ has a vision for a multidisciplinary practice (or MDP) that will create life changing experiences for RMIT students from a range of disciplines including the Juris Doctor, Social Work, Justice and Criminology, Legal and Dispute Studies, and Paralegal students.

L-R: Kat Ogilvie, CIJ's Social Worker & Kerryn Pell, Masters of Social Work student who contributed to research that developed the case for a multidisciplinary practice at RMIT.

The capacity to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams is increasingly highly valued and is now regarded as critical to many professions.

Multidisciplinary Practice ties in with leading examples of best practice in professions such as social work and nursing, where clients are among the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of the community. Complex social problems do not occur in isolation, and human services operate more effectively if professionals from different disciplines work together to solve problems collaboratively.

The understandings underpinning development of new modes of service delivery, and the nurturing of the right attributes in graduates to both drive and respond to this kind of innovation should be part of their formal education.

In this context, the CIJ formed a strategic partnership and co-location with the Mental Health Legal Centre to deliver multidisciplinary services to their clients. Beginning with law and social work, we envisage it opening up to other disciplines such as financial counselling.  The launch commenced with an open house invitation for people to visit the MDP premises, followed by the official launch by the Vice Chancellor and speeches by guest speakers, followed by networking over drinks and nibbles.

Location

Pearson and Murphy
124 La Trobe St, Melbourne

Cost

Free

Related Content

Podcast

Multidisciplinary Practice – the way of the future

Rob Hulls speaks to Stan Winford, Principal Coordinator, Legal Programs, and Katherine Ogilvie, Social Worker, CIJ, about multidisciplinary law practices and the benefits they provide to students and clients.

Listen
Video

Multidisciplinary Practice: the way of the future

Rob Hulls, Director of the Centre for Innovative Justice speaks with Elissa Scott, Summary Crime program manager, Managing Lawyer Advocate Team | Criminal Law Services, Victorian Legal Aid about being a social worker and a lawyer.

Watch
Project
Systemic Reform

Socialising the law: Combining social work and legal skills in a changing justice sector

This is a ground-breaking cross-disciplinary study looking at the respective skills of lawyers and social workers and how these different skills can usefully be combined in order to deliver a holistic service that meet clients’ needs.

Read more
Report

Multidisciplinary Response Model Project

This project developed a business case for the establishment of multidisciplinary integrated response in the Southern Melbourne region addressing repeat and chronic family violence cases.

Read more Download publication