An advocate is a person who helps another person to have their views, opinions and concerns heard by others.
Speaking up for that person and ensuring their rights are upheld.

An advocate is for people who can find it difficult to get their opinions, wishes and feelings about themselves and their service listened to. This may be because they have not been listened to in the past or they do not feel confident to speak up and ask questions.

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An advocate supports people to think about options that are available to them, so that people can make informed choices about what they want. 

An advocate can make a difference to a person’s life by supporting the person to be involved in decisions about their life. Working with a person to help them feel empowered within their own lives.

 

An advocate can help other services to understand what people want and need and can help a make them aware of an individual’s rights and choices and ensuring that people are being treated equally.

 

Everyone has a right to be treated as an individual, valued for who they are not to be treated unfairly.  This includes ensuring the rights of an individual are upheld, that reasonable adjustments are made and least restrictive practices are aways followed. Because everyone should be empowered to have influence of their own lives,

Advocacy should be provided by someone independent, not someone who had as duty to work in the persons best interest.

 

An advocate can help attend meetings with a person to ensure that people are listening to the persons, who’s life the decision is being made about.

 

Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect and have equal opportunities in life. Advocacy supports these rights for everyone.

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