Recounting memories of abuse can be a very painful experience for Indian residential school survivors and the agency that handles claims hopes a new video will lessen some of the stress.
The Indian Residential School Adjudication Secretariat has put out a new informational video that guides claimants through what they might expect at an Independent Assessment Process hearing.
Chief Adjudicator Dan Shapiro says the hearing process can be confusing to claimants and just knowing what to expect can help take a lot of anxiety out of the experience.
“If one can reassure people here’s what the setting of the hearing will be, it’s only the adjudicator that will be asking the questions, this is what the role of the other parties is in the hearing, how the hearing will unfold, what support services are available to the claimant during the hearing – that will help them just focus on sharing their experience,” he says.
Shapiro adds the secretariat has always provided written informational materials on hearings and the video just takes this process one step further.
“Many people are visual thinkers, so being able to see and watch a part of a hearing take place…we have already received a great deal of feedback from individuals indicating that they find this very helpful and reassuring.”
The video is called “Telling Your Story” and it is currently available in both French and English versions.
Shapiro says the secretariat is also currently exploring providing the video in Aboriginal languages.
He says the two versions cost a total of about $50,000 to make which works out to roughly $4 per remaining claimant.