Facilitation under the Fire and Emergency Scheme

Facilitation allows you to keep control over the resolution of your dispute.

You don’t have to reach any binding decisions unless you choose to. In the case of both facilitation and mediation, an independent and neutral third party (the facilitator or mediator) helps the parties to a dispute to identify and solve problems and come to an agreed outcome of their own making.

FAQ

Find helpful information related to Facilitation under the Fire and Emergency Dispute Resolution Scheme.

What is the difference between facilitation and mediation?

Facilitation is a process designed to make group problem and conflict solving easier or more likely to occur by improving members’ ability to deal directly with each other and work together effectively.

Mediation is a process in which the mediator serves as an intermediary between parties to help find a resolution that is acceptable to them. If you’re not sure which process will suit your needs, please contact our case management team, who will be more than happy to help.

Facilitation may be best suited where the nature of your dispute is not clear or specific or involves a lot of people or groups of people. A group may seek facilitation because the members recognise that they need assistance to manage a difficult discussion or solve a complex problem.

The facilitator guides people in conflict through a process that will allow you to identify the issues in dispute and work towards a common resolution.

If you select facilitation as your process, the facilitator will speak with each party to discuss the most suitable process for your case.

Your process may involve (among other things) any or all of:

  • Phone conversations or emails with the facilitator
  • An exchange of information about the dispute
  • Virtual or in-person meetings with the entire group or smaller groups
  • Taking external expert advice
  • Consulting with stakeholders
  • Investigating allegations and reporting
  • Mediating disputes between members of a group or groups
  • Drafting Settlement Agreements
  • Trialling processes and procedures
  • Reflective analysis and review

The facilitator will not provide an opinion and will not convey preferences for any solutions the group considers.

If a resolution is reached, your facilitator may help you prepare a Settlement Agreement, recording what has been agreed. The agreement might be binding (which means you and the other parties must comply with it) or non-binding, depending on the issue and the outcome. Possible non-binding outcomes might include an agreed process or procedure being trialled and then the parties returning to facilitation to adjust the process or procedure as needed.

The outcomes of facilitation are determined by the group.  However, if a party is dissatisfied with the facilitation process or its outcome, they can ask ICRA to refer the dispute to adjudication.

Next steps

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Fire and Emergency Dispute Resolution Scheme

The Fire and Emergency Dispute Resolution Scheme is available to help members of the public and volunteers resolve disputes with Fire and Emergency New Zealand.

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