The point of advocacy

Some people have asked me why I keep banging on about advocacy.

Well, imagine that you need support, or care, or housing or a GP.

Now imagine that you are routinely disbelieved or given poorer services.
That you don’t get access to a GP.
Or that your physical health problem are ignored or put down to your mental health .

Or imagine that you are in a care home where you are being abused by the staff.
Or that in your care home you feel like you have no say at all in what happens or what you do.

Imagine finding out that someone put a Do Not Resuscitate notice are put on your file.
That they did this without your knowledge because they believed your life had no quality or value.
That they didn't ask you because you are old, or have a learning disability, or have a diagnosis of depression.


Then imagine that there was a thing called advocacy that could help you be listened to.

Imagine the difference that it would make to have someone standing alongside you.
Someone whose presence actively demonstrates that they think that you matter.
Someone showing that you are not alone, that you are part of our wider society.
Someone who treats you with respect and who expects others to do the same.

Someone who helps you to be heard.
Someone who is there to make it harder for others to ignore your voice, you rights.

Someone who makes it harder to ignore you.

That's the point of advocacy. 

I think that's worth banging on about. It needs to be kept on the agenda.

Other people ask why anyone should care that Action for Advocacy has closed?

Well, put yourself back in that position.
If advocacy was available, you’d want to know about it. 

You'd want an advocate who could be there for you.

Someone who knew what they were doing.

Someone who could do these important things as well as possible.

Advocacy is too important to get wrong. 

Advocates need to be trained, accountable, clear about their role and supported to deliver this..

Advocacy organisations need to be robust, independent and able to challenge poor practices.

That's what a4a was trying to achieve. 

We got part of the way, but it can't be left there.
We need to talk about what happens next.

I need your help.
I want you to get involved, have your say & help decide what happens.
If you're interested email martin@truevoicetrust.org and I'll get in touch soon.

As ever, comments welcome.