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Advocacy Citizen Advocacy is a long term partnership between an independent person and someone who needs support because of ill health or disability. Through the partnership, a person is helped to express their views and achieve their goals. |
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SHORT TERM/CRISIS ADVOCACY A partnership set up to assist someone through a specific situation/crisis, perhaps where an important decision needs to be made. The advocate aims to represent them and promote awareness of relevant issues. The partnership may last for a few weeks or several months. COMPLAINTS ADVOCACY Advocates support users of Social Services who wish to make a complaint. They support people who feel there has been an injustice or that they have been unfairly treated but cannot take on officialdom on their own. WHO DO WE SUPPORT? People with short-term or permanent needs because of: Learning disability, Mental health problems, Physical disability or ill health, Sensory disability, Confusion / frailty in old age who may be: Isolated or excluded, denied services, lacking opportunities, denied choice, unaware of rights, unable unaided to speak up for him/herself. WHO ARE ADVOCATES? Advocates are ordinary people of all ages and backgrounds. Advocates are independent volunteers who get to know their partner by spending time with them. Citizen Advocates do not need formal qualifications but do need some essential qualities. They need to be:- Good listeners and open to the views of others, non-judgmental, discreet, positive and tolerant, interested in people. Advocates receive initial and ongoing training as well as continued support and encouragement from the Development Worker team and fellow Advocates. WHAT DO ADVOCATES DO? They enter into an equal partnership with one person. They are introduced to a potential partner with ongoing support and guidance from a Development Worker. They will listen to their partner and encourage them to look at choices and options. They provide access to information and where necessary represent their partner's views and interests. COULD YOU BE AN ADVOCATE? Citizen Advocacy aims to change things for the better. This takes time and patience and we need help to do it. We need more Volunteer Advocates. If you believe in the right of everyone to be a valued human being... If you enjoy getting to know some one on a one to one basis and helping them to achieve a better quality of life... You could be one of the people we need! COULD ADVOCACY HELP YOU? If you feel an advocate could help you or someone you know, then please contact our Development Team. We would be happy to discuss this with you in confidence and to provide further information.
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