Advocacy

What is Advocacy?

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Advocacy means getting support when you’re finding it difficult to stand up for your own rights, make your wishes known or your voice heard. 

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Having the help of an advocate can be particularly helpful when organisations (such as the NHS or housing providers) are making decisions that are going to impact on you. 

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A video explaining what advocacy is, produced by the advocacy service VoiceAbility, can be found on YouTube.

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An advocate can:

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• Help you to think through your concerns
• Support you in assessing all of your options
• Make sure you understand information
• Attend meetings alongside you to provide support

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An advocate should not:

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• Make decisions for you
• Judge you
• Give you their personal opinion on your choices

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An advocate can be:

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• From a professional advocacy service
• A family member or friend

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The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance has developed a map of the advocacy services across Scotland.

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Some Easy Read information from the advocacy service VoiceAbility can be found below:

• ‍Have your say about your health and care while you’re in prison
• ‍Support if you’re detained (‘sectioned’)

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