Lawyers staying safe and well while delivering high-quality legal services is a shared goal across Victoria’s legal system and a key priority for the VLSB+C. However, research consistently shows that poor lawyer wellbeing persists.
To effect genuine and lasting change, the focus needs to move beyond individual resilience to the system-wide drivers that are having negative impacts.
This is why the VLSB+C is facilitating the Lawyer Wellbeing Theory of Change project – an initiative that will see the legal system co-design a shared model for system-wide change in lawyer wellbeing.
If you’re a law student or working in the legal system and have experience, expertise or an interest in lawyer wellbeing, we encourage you to register your interest in this collaborative project.
What will the outcome be?
We will achieve a system-wide Theory of Change model for lawyer wellbeing in Victoria. This will establish a shared understanding of where, how, and why change should happen within Victoria’s legal system. It will also help us all to measure and evaluate progress in lawyer wellbeing over time.
Why co-design?
Developing a Theory of Change together, via a co-design process, makes sure that the outcome is meaningful, actionable and informed by the experiences, deep insights and expertise from across the legal system.
Who can take part?
Participation is open to people within Victoria’s legal system, including:
- lawyers
- representatives from professional associations
- representatives from organisations that support access to legal services
- legal educators and law students
- lawyer wellbeing specialists and researchers
- the judiciary
- legal regulators under the Uniform Law.
Who is leading the process?
To lead engagement and guide the process, we’ve appointed Melbourne-based experts in social research and evaluation, First Person Consulting (FPC). The FPC team has set up a flexible, co-design process for you to share your thoughts and insights.
What does the co-design process look like?
The process is divided into three stages. You will be able to choose how involved you want to be, and you can choose to take part at any stage.
Stage 1: ‘system effects’ online survey (approx. 10 minutes)
The first stage is an online survey created by FPC using a unique and innovative approach. The aggregate survey data will help identify the different drivers of poor wellbeing within the system. The de-identified data will be used to inform discussions at the peer workshops in Stage 2, and shared with the VLSB+C and legal system to support learning. Individual responses are confidential, anonymous and only available to FPC. Individual responses are confidential, anonymous and only available to FPC. Click here to complete the survey.
Stage 2: online peer workshops
Each workshop will review the insights from the system effects survey, identifying areas for change and highlighting current efforts in the sector. Workshops will be delivered by FPC and involve peers only (e.g. law students will only be with other law students). All people from within Victoria’s legal system are encouraged to take part – even if they haven’t taken part in stage one.
The FPC team will draw on these workshops to create a draft Theory of Change.
Stage 3: Theory of Change review
The review of the Theory of Change will happen in the following ways:
- An online drop-in workshops where FPC will facilitate discussions and gain feedback on the initial draft. All people from within Victoria’s legal system are encouraged to take part – even if they haven’t taken part in stages one and two. A 10-minute online survey version of the workshop will be available as an alternative.
- A final 5-minute online survey at the end of the project for any final comments.
Stay up to date with the project and register your interest to take part.
Will the outcome be shared?
Updates will be shared through the project, which runs from May to November 2024. The final outcome and learnings will also be shared with the profession and across the legal system.
What’s happening now?
Stage 1: 'system effects’ online survey (approx. 10 minutes) – START THE SURVEY NOW.