La Trobe University has recently been approved as a sponsor for the Work and Development Permit Scheme (WDP) on behalf of Fines Victoria to help vulnerable and disadvantaged people with an option to work off their fines by engaging in certain approved activities in the University.
Read more about the Scheme on the Department of Justice and Community Safety Victora website.
How does the scheme work in practice?
In the University, this scheme is administered by Financial Counsellors who can apply for a Work and Development Permit on behalf of an eligible person in certain circumstances and with the consent of the individual.
A person interested in the scheme must organise to meet with a Financial Counsellor who will work with them to consider all the options in relation to their fine/s which is most suited to their circumstances and can assess whether they are eligible for a Work and Development Permit and apply on their behalf.
To participate in a WDP scheme a person will have or be experiencing:
- a mental or intellectual disability, disorder, or illness
- an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or a volatile substance
- homelessness
- acute financial hardship, or
- family violence
The activities which have been approved for and provided by La Trobe University to help an individual, work of their infringement debt are:
- Counselling, including financial and other counselling (excluding drug and alcohol counselling)
- Courses – educational, vocational or life skills
Engagement in these activities must be logged and signed off by the person running the approved activity and submitted by the student monthly to the Financial Counsellor who oversees, monitors, and submits the log to Fines Victoria for final approval as meeting requirements of the scheme.
Note: Financial Counsellors will provide the individual with the necessary forms to log these claims
The following circumstances are excluded from a WDP:
- a person has been served a 7-Day Notice in relation to the fine and the 7-Day Notice period had expired
- a person has been arrested
- property has been seized in relation to the fine
- the fine is a court fine
There are several other options to pay your fines and you can discuss all options with a Financial Counsellor at the University and where there are legal issues involved we can also refer you our student Legal Service or you can register for an appointment direct at the Legal Service webpage.
Financial Counsellors at La Trobe
For more information on the range of services Financial Counselling can provide and/or register for an appointment, visit the Financial Counselling website.