Independent Advocacy Principles

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ADV 301: Purpose and principles of Independent Advocacy Unit Reference : M/502/3146 Level: 3 Credit Value 4 GLH 25 1) Understand independent advocacy 1.1) Define independent advocacy Ans: Independent Advocacy is a way to help people have a stronger voice and to have as much control as possible over their own lives. Independent Advocacy is: * Standing alongside people who are marginalised in our society. * Speaking on behalf of people who are unable to do so for themselves. * Standing up for and sticking by a person or group and taking their side. * Listening to someone and hearing their point of view. * Helping people…show more content…
Accessing services 2. Relationships 3. Communication Accessing services Usually advocates get involved when someone is having difficulty accessing services. This includes being treated fairly and respectfully within services (e.g. if individuals are living in a care home). Examples include helping someone to speak out about the side effects of their medication; explaining that individual can't go to visit a service, but they must come to individual; or supporting a child to complain about their foster carers. Sometimes advocates can get involved in situations where services are not involved: examples of this include helping someone to persuade their family that they are capable of going on a bus on their own, or going to work, or living more independently. Relationships Advocacy is usually based on a partnership between an advocate and a person who is having problems making their voice heard. It has thus been said that independent advocacy is all about relationships (Henderson &…show more content…
Often people's voices are not heard because they speak in ways that take quite a lot of effort to listen to properly. This can include having speech impediments, limited vocabulary, finding it difficult to organise thoughts into coherent order, forgetting what you wanted to say, or getting frustrated and angry. Of course it is also true that some professionals simply don't listen properly. In either case an advocate will help people to prepare and deliver a coherent statement of their needs or wishes, and being there with their partner also encourages other people to respond appropriately. Afterwards the advocate can also help their partner to remember what was said and to plan what to do

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