On 26 April 2023, Edmund Rice Centre with DLA Piper Australia successfully completed a 3-week legal empowerment course Know Your Rights. During the three weeks, participants gained a comprehensive understanding of 

• The Australian Legal and Political System
• Division of Power in a democratic country (Legislative, Judiciary and Executive)
• Police and Your Rights and
• Employment Law

The purpose of the course was to increase the legal literacy of the participants in order to make their resettlement journey smoother. For refugees and people seeking asylum, moving to a new country can be a daunting experience. Many have little understanding of their rights, which can lead to isolation, exploitation and difficulties adapting. 

Eighteen people successfully completed the course. The participants were refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran and Sri-Linka. Certificate of Completion was awarded to those who attended. 

The course was conducted in partnership with DLA Piper Australia. DLA Piper is a global law firm operating in about 48 countries in the world. We also collaborated with Tamil Resource Centre and the the Australian-Iranian Community Organization in order to have inclusive and diverse participants. It's worth mentioning that our partner DLA Piper covered all the expenses for this program including food and venue. The program was held at St Patrick's Cathedral Parramatta conference hall. We are thankful for their cooperation