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Pilbara Community Legal Service – Zanoon

Pilbara Community Legal Service

Zanoon Butt, Tenancy Advocate

Tile with a photo of Zanoon's face and text "A day in the life with Zanoon"
Quote: I was drawn to this work for the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the community while gaining experience across a broad range of legal and social issues. The diversity of the community and the opportunity to meet people from many different backgrounds is rewarding.
Image of Zanoon and a colleague in front of a community centre, with text "I’m Zanoon. I’m a Tenancy Advocate at Pilbara Community Legal Service, and here are a few days in my life."
Image of Zanoon delivering a powerpoint presentation in a high school classroom, with text "Today I delivered a community legal education session at Hedland Senior High School. I joined the school’s weekly Big Picture Learning Town Hall to talk about the role legal services like Pilbara Community Legal Service play in helping people understand and access their rights."
I explained my own pathway into the legal field, so the students could understand what it takes to become a lawyer and the wide variety of types of work you can do as a lawyer. I went into detail on the different types of courts and the differences between civil and criminal law. I also got a chance to give the students some insights into courtroom procedures, etiquette, and the expectations of people working within a courtroom environment. I wanted to encourage the students to think about the ways they can have a positive impact in their communities.
Image of a bbq at a stall outdoors, with text "Early in the morning, I joined some colleagues to prepare for our Homelessness Week Awareness Campaign and barbecue, where we could connect with members of the community."
Image of Zanoon with two colleagues, with text "In the afternoon, I went on some client home visits around town, including one with my colleague Mary and with the Department of Housing & Works."
Then, I went back to the office to have a few client meetings there. I also had a meeting with the Circle Green Tenancy team, online via Teams. Circle Green is a community legal centre in Perth that has a tenancy specialist service.
Image of Zanoon standing on a verandah, with text "I got to the office early to do some final preparation of the material for the day’s community education event, and for our Case Management Meeting."
I had some initial telephone consultations with new clients and made a call to the Department of Housing & Works. Then, I delivered a Road Safety Presentation at the South Hedland High School, to three different classes in a row. Traffic infringements are a big issue out here because transport options are so limited, and driving is often the only way to get from place to place. After the presentation, I went back to the office for our Case Management Meeting, and for a few client meetings in the office.
Image of Zanoon at a stall at a community event, with text "First thing, I did some preparation for our Wellbeing Squad Meeting and handled some client email correspondence."
I went to the Yaandina Turner River Rehabilitation Centre to deliver a presentation, before spending the rest of the morning doing client home visits around Hedland. I came back to the office in the afternoon for our Wellbeing Squad Meeting, before a few more client meetings in the office.
The biggest win this week was successfully assisting a client with an appeal, resulting in a decision being overturned that would have left them liable for $3,200. The most challenging aspect was supporting a client who failed a housing inspection and received a breach notice. This highlighted the importance of tenant education around property maintenance and tenancy obligations.