Helping victims of crime and trauma

IAG NZ’s partnership with Victim Support has special meaning for staff member Bev Orchard – she’s recently joined the organisation as a volunteer.

In addition to her job as a team leader handling customer claims calls in Christchurch, Bev works six 12-hour shifts every month as a counsellor for Victim Support.

Victim Support is a non-profit organisation that offers 24-hour support, counselling and practical services to victims of crime and trauma throughout the country. As we help our customers cope with and overcome physical losses, we recognised that we often work with the same people. As a result, we’ve been a principal sponsor of Victim Support for the last two years through the State brand.

After six weeks of intensive training with Victim Support, Bev gained valuable skills in handling traumatic situations, guiding people to specialist services for help and understanding the signs of emotional stress in herself and others. She says she uses these skills in her work, helping customers in often stressful situations. Bev has also been involved in a campaign to ensure our claims staff are aware of Victim Support and are comfortable referring customers to them.