Yarning Circles Build Cultural Awareness
An Indigenous yarning circle being used by a unique legal clinic in Logan is helping to transform how law students engage with justice and cultural understanding.
The yarning circle takes place at YFS Legal in Slacks Creek which, since 1992, has provided free legal advice and representation for the people of Logan and surrounds, who would otherwise have limited access to legal services.
YFS Legal principal solicitor Candice Hughes says the yarning circle is a valuable learning tool which promotes respect, sharing, discussion, and understanding.
Candice, who was the 2019 Indigenous Woman Lawyer of the Year, supervises this clinic one day a week for 13 weeks during semester.
The Culturally Safe Criminal Law Practice Clinic at YFS Legal is a partnership between Bond University, the University of Queensland and YFS Legal, and since 2019, has encouraged students to listen to the local yarns and learn from Indigenous voices by fostering empathy and humility.
Candice established the clinic after years in the criminal justice system in different roles. ‘I wanted to improve the legal representation and support of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the system,’ Candice says.
‘One of the aims of this clinic is for the law students to develop skills to deliver culturally safe services to meet the legal needs of culturally diverse young people, specifically our First Nations young people in the criminal justice system.’
She says the program includes a wide range of criminal law work such as submission writing, preparation of bail applications and sentencing submissions, mental health hearing applications, legal research, general administration, brief prep, and supporting her colleagues in court.
‘At end of the clinic I see a significant change in students who had been unaware of the trauma and lived experiences of our young people; to learn about how the police and government departments still treat our young people today is quite confronting to some students.’
Narelle Bedford, Bond University Assistant Professor of Law, says yarning is central to the clinic’s mission of addressing the issues of race in legal education and offering a more inclusive, human-centered approach to law that prioritises cultural safety and understanding.
She says YFS Legal is Logan’s only community legal centre, and it aims to develop better processes to support Indigenous clients, while broadening the valuable experience for the students.
Assistant Professor Bedford says the clinic provides valuable hands-on experience for law students to directly engage with the theory and practice of culturally safe lawyering and legal practice.
Bond University law student Emily Goodfellow, who attended the Logan YFS clinic, says it was a highlight of her law degree, and she is grateful for the insight into criminal law and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
‘It was an experience I will reflect on throughout my legal career, and I think it is an invaluable element of legal education,’ Emily says.
University of Queensland Senior Lecturer – Clinical Educator Bridget Burton says the blueprint for the clinic is about universities building relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lawyers who are interested in the teaching and development of students and new lawyers, handing over control to them, and supporting (including financially and administratively) their vision.
‘Clinical legal education is a rich and valued component of our legal curriculum, and this clinic with Candice and YFS Legal offers students a unique opportunity to learn from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experts in a social justice context,’ Bridget says.
‘It challenges students’ understandings of the legal system, law and justice, race, and the role of lawyers in communities, and helps them build the skills necessary for competent legal practice.’
To learn more about YFS Legal visit yfs.org.au/yfs-legal.