St Kilda Legal Service Annual Report 2006-2007 - Community Law

Suzy FoxSKLS AdministratorSuzy Fox & sisterMaz Fox, PPCG workerVanda Hamilton successfully applied for theposition, initially job sharing with a locum lawyerKon Tringas until such time as she completed theCLE maternity position. Vanda was then able tocommence full-time mid January 2007. Duringstaff absences Kerrin Panlook (Principal Solicitor)also provided support for the program.Since leaving, Ann and her partner Rob havebecome parents to Isabelle and Peter and hispartner Rita have become parents to Jules. Wewish them and their new families well.The DOL provides legal advice, referral, informationand casework services to drug and alcoholusers at various outreaches at local communityorganizations and those who directly contactthe Service. This program enables the Service toreach marginalized clients with complex needswho would otherwise not access the Service.Suzy Fox…20 Years of Amazing ServiceIf we counted the hours that Suzy has actuallyput in at 161 Chapel Street, we would becommemorating something like her fortiethyear at the Service. As it is, Suzy has been anabsolutely integral component of the Servicesince she first arrived on the 19th September1987. Even then, she was sure to have hadthe fire in her belly and an indomitable sense ofjustice; particularly for women and the vulnerablein the community. In those early days, when all theimportant decisions were made via a consensusdecision-making process by all the workers atthe weekly Collective meetings; when the fightfor injustice was regularly taken to the street; andwhen the megaphone and smoking at your deskwas virtually compulsory, Suzy must have felt shehad arrived home!As anyone who has had more than a passingknowledge of SKLS would know, Suzy’s positionas administrator at the Service involves muchmore than attending to the requirements of thefunders and the Board Directors, paying the billsand ensuring the staff get paid. She is activelyinvolved in paralegal work, often making that extraphone call to ensure something gets done! Suzyalso assists with the volunteer program and withher usual attention to detail will track down anyrecalcitrants who omit to bring their files forwardor complete their stats sheets properly!Suzy has also played an integral role in the CLCsector over the years. She has been on the coordinatingcommittee of the Federation. She’sbeen active on the administrators’ workinggroup in its various incarnations and made somestrong friendships with these wonderful women.Most recently, Suzy has been on the Access toInterpreters’ Working Group, which involves afair bit of boring administration and prodding/encouraging workers to comply with the variousexternal funding requirements in order that CLCsreceive this most important access to appropriatelyskilled interpreters. Suzy’s involvement withthese various groups reveals some of her mostendearing and enduring qualities: she is a worker,who is prepared to put the work in for a worthwhilepurpose; she selflessly provides and values thesupport given and received by her colleagues,particularly the other administrators in the sector;and she is not backward in telling people what’srequired and how she sees it in meetings andwhen doing committee work.Suzy does not suffer fools. She has no doubttaught many new workers and volunteers how toswear with conviction. She is not quiet in the office(and when she is, we become worried). Her mindis ever enquiring, and never short of a question toask. Do not tell her you have been traveling andexpect to conclude the conversation in a hurry.Suzy works too hard. She has suffered far toomany sleepless nights worrying about this place.Suzy is loyal. She always has time to assist otherswith their work. She is fundamentally committedto assisting the clients – even when she gets sickof answering the phone. Although Suzy does worktoo hard, she knows life is not all about the SKLSand she provides sustained, practical and lovingsupport to her friends, family and colleagues.What can we say except,thank you Suzy! Annual Report 2006 – 2007