Georgia Client Council

Georgia Legal Services Program - 030101

Abstract Number: 030101

July 2003

Established in the late 1970s, the Georgia Client Council (GCC) engages in client empowerment work and provides feedback and advice to the Georgia Legal Services Program (GLSP) to ensure GLSP is effectively meeting the needs of its clients. GCC is comprised of a board of directors, an executive board, and roughly 300 members from throughout Georgia. The board of directors is made up of nine representatives, one hailing from each regional branch of GCC. Each GCC regional branch is located in the same community as a GLSP field office. While each branch's participation varies, GCC's branches in Augusta and Gainesville are the most active - each with roughly 100 active client members. Two of GCC's board members also sit on GLSP's board of directors thereby facilitating an ongoing dialogue between the two organizations.

GCC engages in peer education work that is conducted at GCC's annual conference and through a quarterly newsletter entitled the Quarterly Reporter. GCC's annual conference brings together clients from all over Georgia to attend workshops and trainings to educate conference participants on topics such as predatory lending, home ownership, Medicaid rights, and other pertinent topics. GCC's quarterly newsletter highlights substantive legal issues and other emerging trends affecting the client community. The Quarterly Reporter newsletter currently has a circulation of 3000 recipients. GCC also offers an annual leadership institute that allows GCC members opportunities to develop leadership and advocacy skills.

Recent GCC initiatives have resulted in the development of a project to provide computer skill training to recent welfare recipients in order to help the participants' secure better paying jobs. In addition, GCC recently partnered with the Georgia Micro-Enterprise Network to offer a micro-enterprise training program for interested community members. In 2000, GCC received an Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation grant for organizational development.

Contact Information:

Terence Dicks
State Chair
Georgia Clients Council
104 Marietta Street, Suite 250
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (706) 306-5731
Fax: (706) 721-4897
Email

Phyllis Holmen
Executive Director
Georgia Legal Services Program
104 Marietta Street, Suite 250
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 206-5175
Fax: (404) 206-5346
Email

back to top ^