Intellectual Disability Rights Service volunteering as support workers or lawyers

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Volunteering with the Intellectual Disability Rights Service

IDRS offers three ways to get involved and help people with intellectual disability.



Provide support for people involved with the criminal justice system

CJSN manages a network of trained volunteers.

Regional Coordinators based in the Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra/Shoalhaven areas supervise volunteer support persons and organise client support. Support is provided in those areas as well as the Riverina, Mid North Coast and the Central West regions of NSW.

Support is provided to people with intellectual disability involved in the criminal justice system at court, court related processes, legal appointments and police stations.

We provide full training, ongoing development and resources to volunteer support persons.

Please click to find out more about volunteering with CJSN.

Please click to find out about the work done by volunteers.

Or click to find out about training and information we provide to our volunteers.

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Volunteer Solicitor Programme- to provide free legal advice for people in police custody

Picture of a man on a mobile phone

IDRS Volunteer Solicitor Program works in conjunction with the Criminal Justice Support Network (CJSN).

Through this program volunteer solicitors provide after hours and weekend legal advice to people with intellectual disability who have been arrested and are in police custody.

  • Legal advice is given over the phone from where the solicitor is; the solicitor does not need to travel to the police station
  • Advice is organised by a CJSN staff member already in contact with the client and the police
  • A monthly roster system is organised accoding to the availability and preference of each solicitor
  • This is part of the 9am-10pm, 7 days a week support service of the Intellectual Disability Rights Service
  • This is a state-wide service in New South Wales

Please click to find out more about solicitors volunteering with CJSN.

Please click to find out about the work done by volunteer solicitors.

Or click to find out about the orientation workshop we organise for volunteer solicitors.

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Law students - opportunities to gain practical experience through volunteering


We are CURRENTLY SEEKING students to undertake their practical legal training placement with us


The Intellectual Disability Rights Service (IDRS) is a specialist community legal centre. The work done by us is unique in NSW, and we offer an excellent environment for students to gain experience through volunteering.

Students wishing to volunteer with us can email us at (with the subject line "Student volunteer")

    Please include the following in your email:
  • Curriculum vitae (CV)
  • Covering letter with the following information -
    1. why are you interested in volunteering with IDRS
    2. your availability - date you can start, number of days per week and preferred days you wish to volunteer
    3. please indicate if you have a particular area of interest relating to the work we do
    4. if you are seeking to do Practical Legal Training (PLT) with us, please indicate the total number of days of placement
    Note:
  • We preffer applicants be in the final 2 years of undergraduate legal studies
  • Opportunities for volunteering depends on the Centre's needs (which vary from time to time)

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