What is a peer advocate?
A peer advocate is a person who is part of the group for whose rights and interests she advocates. In the context of prison, a peer advocate is someone who is able to actively support other prisoners, guiding them throughout their imprisonment. This support can be given in many ways, from educating others on various legal processes, to ensuring that legal rights and entitlements are respected.

Most often, peer advocates for prisoners are women with the lived experience of prison. Peer advocates and peer advocate supporters might also be people outside prison who will form part of a woman’s community once she is released. Prior to release, the advocate supports the prisoner and provides a strong, continuous link to the outside.

What are the duties of a peer advocate?
One of the most common duties of peer advocates is to assist women in prison to identify their rights, entitlements, application eligibility dates, et cetera. Peer advocates also need to assist others to advocate for and access services and supports that will facilitate a successful return to the community. Other important duties include assisting other women with resolving specific problems, sometimes through successful use of the grievance process. Peer advocates need also to assist new women to adjust to the circumstances they find themselves in – to meet them and engage them in the spirit of solidarity.

What are the responsibilities and roles of a peer advocate?
One of the first responsibilities of a peer advocate is to participate in training to familiarize yourself with relevant law, policy and procedures. In turn, you will have a responsibility to recognize and promote the potential you see in other women to do the same, and to bring them into the training and advocacy process. You will also need to know how to get in touch with other advocates, such as the E. Fry Regional Advocate, the Correctional Investigator, and lawyers who are willing and able to assist you to address any breaches of law or systemic issues that may be affecting the women in the prison you’re in. If you choose to be an advocate with and for others, you assume the responsibility for monitoring and documenting ongoing issues, especially unresolved concerns and/or repeat issues.

Especially in the case of systemic and ongoing problems, your role is to call upon and seek the collaboration of other advocacy team members as well as outside advocacy groups including CAEFS, NWAC, and SIS. Together, you may be able to come up with creative responses to certain issues, and possibly find unique ways to uphold and promote the rights, address the needs, and remedy the concerns of women in and from prison.

What are the limitations of peer advocacy?
As a peer advocate, you must not confuse your role with that of legal counsel. Your role is to offer information and guidance to sister prisoners so that they may benefit from your lived experience and personal knowledge of relevant laws and procedures regarding their (and your) rights and entitlements.