Sometimes people need support in their journey through a dispute resolution process. Where this is not available through family and friends, we can facilitate this through navigators or peer support.
A Support Person
Having support can assist a person through their dispute resolution journey from the entry stage through to any appeal. This is generally referred to in the context of a "support person" which includes both peer support and other support such as family and friends, or navigator support (for example a navigation service).
The key thing is that if it is available, it can help empower people to engage in the process and be heard. If this support is not available, it can act as a barrier to accessing justice through a resolution scheme. That's where the idea of peer support comes in.
Peer Support
Peer support is support provided by someone who you didn't know before, but has been through the process themselves:
A peer is someone with lived experience who has been through a similar process. They use their experience to help others, and particular to make sure they have been heard. They do not provide advocacy or legal advice, or navigate a system, or make decisions for them.
This service is based on the idea that people who have been through the process where they have had to overcome barriers and endure adversity can offer useful support, and encouragement for others in a similar situation. It can be useful if there is a perceived power imbalance as we can see in the ACC system, or if a person going through that process does not have others available to support them.
The cost of peer support will be funded by our Advocacy Service and recovered from ACC through the Review Costs and Appeals Regulations.
Further information on this service will be available later in 2024 once a pilot for this service has been developed with relevant stakeholders.