DSS contracts several providers to deliver the People for Us peer visiting service. People for Us is a peer service who visit disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori who live in DSS contracted residential services (community group homes).
Peer workers aim to be a safe and trusted person that the disabled person can talk to about any concerns they have, and if they are:
- safe
- living their good life
- experiencing high quality support and services.
Peer workers will assist those with safety or wellbeing concerns to follow the relevant pathway to resolve those concerns.
On this page
How can I access People for Us?
At this stage People for Us is only available for people living in residential services (community group homes) funded by DSS.
If you or someone you know lives in a community group home and would like to be visited by a People for Us peer worker, you can contact the People for Us providers directly. The peer workers can then visit community group homes because of a referral or might do a routine proactive visit.
The service is free.
The People for Us providers are:
|
Organisation |
Where |
Website |
|
People First |
Nationally |
|
|
Te Ahi Kaa |
Kaupapa Māori services in Waikato and South Auckland. |
|
|
Vaka Tautua |
By Pacific for Pacific services in Auckland |
People for Us is not an emergency or crisis service. For more information about where to seek help in an emergency go to Help and support for violence, abuse or neglect | Disability Support Services. external
What does People for Us do?
People for Us is staffed by disabled people, tāngata whaikaha Māori, and Pacific disabled people. A disabled peer worker (kaiarahi) and their assistant (kaimanaaki), will:
- Visit disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori who live in DSS funded community group homes, build a trusted relationship with the person and support them to communicate any concerns they have.
- Assist those disabled people who have safety or wellbeing concerns to follow the relevant pathway to resolve those concerns.
What is a peer worker?
Peer workers are a new role in the disability support system. A peer worker is a disabled person or tāngata whaikaha Māori employed to check in with other disabled people or tāngata whaikaha Māori regarding their wellbeing and safety.
Peer Workers receive training and ongoing supervision to ensure safe practice. They have lived experience of disability, bring deep understanding, cultural insight, and empathy to their role. Their personal journeys equip them to connect meaningfully with other disabled people, offering encouragement, guidance, and support that is grounded in shared experience.
The peer worker role is different to other roles in the disability system. They are different from a support worker, mentor, connector, navigator, or service coordinator.
What happens when peer workers find a disabled person who has safety or wellbeing concerns?
People for Us will respond in different ways, depending on what the issues are and the level of concern. The peer worker’s role is to notice what’s happening and work with the disabled person to follow the appropriate response pathway. Some examples of response pathways are:
- family and whānau
- community groups or agencies
- disabled persons networks
- the provider
- advocacy organisations
- NASCs or EGL sites
- Iwi and Māori health and social services
- Pacific health and social services
- primary health
- DAPAR (Disability Abuse Prevention and Response) service providers
- complaints process, including HDC
- Police
- Family Violence Sexual Violence providers
- Escalating the concern to the DSS Quality team.
Background
The People for Us service grew out of the Growing Voice and Safety project. This project ran from 2023 to 2024 and included significant community and sector engagement to develop new services supported by DSS that aim to:
- increase the focus on the voice, good lives and human rights of disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori
- reduce the risk of neglect and abuse in disability support services.