All too often, we hear that many people don’t understand advocacy – what it is and how it differs from other kinds of support. Advocacy Awareness Week 2021 (November the 1st to the 5th) hopes to help change that by reminding people what advocacy is, how it works best and how it already supports people in local communities to live their lives.
Advocacy services are there to support citizens with a wide range of issues, including participation in social services processes. Advocates ensure that individuals’ views, wishes and feelings are heard and considered - so giving them more voice, choice and control in the decision-making processes.
In Gwent we have taken a co-productive approach to developing a Gwent adult advocacy strategy. Local authority commissioners, advocacy organisations and local citizens have worked together to develop a regional commissioning strategy for advocacy; the first time that a regional commissioning strategy has been developed in this way in Wales.
The aim of the strategy is to ensure that everyone living in Gwent has equal access to advocacy support and that all advocacy organizations support citizens effectively – whilst also raising awareness and understanding of advocacy among the wider public.
Grant funded through the Integrated Care Fund, the Gwent Access to Advocacy (GATA) helpline has been developed alongside our advocacy strategy to provide access to advocacy for citizens and care professionals across the region. Fully trained advisors are on hand to provide information, advice and support and make referrals to adult advocacy services across the region.
The helpline is available 10am-3pm Monday-Friday on 0808 801 0566.
Phil Robson, Chair of the Gwent Regional Partnership Board said:
“Making sure that all our citizens are able to make their voices heard is vitally important if we are to truly transform and improve our health and social care services to be fit for the twenty first century.
We know that the care system can be overly complex and not always easy for citizens to find and access the information and support that can best help them.
Advocacy has an important part to play in making sure that all voices are heard – and we recognize that this is an important service that needs to be available equitably, where and when needed.”
Further information regarding advocacy support can be found on the Gwent Access to Advocacy website: https://www.gata.cymru
To find out more about advocacy and join the conversation follow the Advocacy Awareness Campaign 2021 across social media using the hashtags:
#AAW21
#HearMyVoice
#AdvocacyinPractice
