What are community advice offices?

CAOs are non-profit organisations that offer free basic legal information, advice and services to people who are not familiar or do not understand their legal and constitutional rights, and who are marginalised through poverty, social circumstances and geographical location.

What services do they offer?

Free information, advice and support is available to people with legal, social and personal problems or challenges. For example

• legal
• housing
• debt
• family or other disputes
• maintenance
• employment
• social services

• other government services

What is a community-based paralegal?

A community-based paralegal is person who works at a CAO who:

• has basic knowledge of the law and its procedures
• knows about conflict resolution procedures

• has the necessary motivation, commitment, attitude and skills to help people and communities with their legal, human rights, administrative, constitutional and developmental problems, while at the same time empowering them to tackle these matters on their own in future.

How do they assist clients?

Community-based paralegals have the knowledge and experience to help people with legal and social problems. They use a variety of methods, other than using the courts, to achieve long-term, sustainable solutions to peoples’ problems. Using the courts can bring quick relief which is important in many cases, but this is not always the case. Court cases can take a long time to be finalized, the costs involved are often huge and the outcome for a person may be negative. Paralegals aim to deal with problems in a more holistic way, also referred to as Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

What do they do?

• give legal and general advice to people on the law and their rights
• write or distribute pamphlets, booklets and other resources to help educate people
• refer people to social and health services, and other helpful organizations
• refer people to lawyers where it is clear a lawyer is necessary
• help prepare people for formal legal procedures, such as what to expect in a court case
• assist and prepare people to take labour problems to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA)
• run workshops to educate people about their rights
• work as a link between a community and lawyers, and help with things like taking statements, interpreting and following up cases
• assist in making contact with the press and in publicising events and problems in a community
• help sort out problems in a community, and problems with the authorities through negotiation and mediation

• help in the building and developing of community organisations