Include Me Citizen Advocacy in North East Fife

A GUIDE TO CITIZEN ADVOCACYFOR FAMILIES & CARERS

A family member of one of our advocacy partners shares their thoughts about their experience of the benefits of having a citizen advocate in their adult child’s life …

“My daughter has only a small family circle to depend on for support should she need it. One of the things that has always concerned me is who she would turn to for support if we were no longer around.

Having a Citizen Advocate has taught her to share her feelings and wishes and practice her communication skills in ways she rarely does at home. It has given her confidence, and should she change her partner at some point in the future, I am confident she will be able to build a rapport once again. I view the partnership as a means of empowering her. That can only be a good thing.”

“… being a citizen advocate is a fulfilling experience. When my partner told me I was like family to her I knew I was doing something worthwhile.” Citizen Advocate

“I feel more confident about speaking up for myself” Advocacy Partner

Who are citizen advocates?

Our Citizen Advocates are volunteers carefully recruited and trained to match the needs, characteristics and interests highlighted to us through the referral and information gathering process.Citizen advocates are selected through a process of interview and induction training. Personal references are taken up and membership of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups scheme (PVG) is essential.

Citizen advocates are supported by their development worker and receive ongoing training including Adult Protection and may attend group support sessions.

They are bound by the Code of Practice for Independent Advocacy and follow Principles in Citizen Advocacy.

The benefits of having a citizen advocate

Families advocate for their loved ones on a daily basis and this is part of a good relationship. Sometimes however, it is difficult for family members to advocate for their loved ones. This might be because of varying views within a family about the best way forwards or because of outside influences. Sometimes families advocating the views and opinions of their loved ones are not being heard.

Having a citizen advocate can bring many positives to your family member that go beyond advocacy.

Include Me provides a free, independent Citizen Advocacy service to people affected by:

Physical disabilities learning disabilities mental illness autism spectrum disorder personality disorder brain injury dementia long term health issues

and who need help to safeguard their well-being, rights, care and other interests. People aged between 16 and 65 years old living in North East Fife can access our service.

Include Me is funded by Fife Council to give an independent voice to people in the above groups living in North East Fife. At Include Me we currently have two Development Workers who are not advocates but who recruit, train, match and support citizen advocates.

What is advocacy?

Advocacy is a fancy word for helping people to speak for themselves.

Advocates support people to develop the skills, confidence and knowledge they need to voice their concerns and make sure they are being treated with respect. Advocates make sure a person's own voice is heard.

Advocacy does not raise expectations about what can be achieved but ensures that the partner has access to information and understands the reasons why decisions which affect them are being made.

An advocate’s loyalty is to their advocacy partner. Confidentiality is important and the advocacy partner’s business will not be discussed with anybody, including family or staff members, without permission from the advocacy partner, except in exceptional circumstances.

What is citizen advocacy?

A citizen advocate is a person free from the control or direction of others to think and act with - or on behalf of - their advocacy partner. A citizen advocate’s relationship with their partner is empowering and self-directed. Ideally, the citizen advocate should enable their partner, with support if necessary, to be their own advocate but can advocate on their behalf if required or requested.

Citizen advocacy is not a befriending service although a strong and lasting friendship will develop as a natural and important part of the advocacy relationship.

Citizen Advocates may support their advocacy partner:

By safeguarding their partner’s human rights and dignity

By spending time together sharing activities both enjoy

By ensuring others treat their partner with respect and by

considering their feelings and opinions

By helping the Partner to examine his/her situation and

decide what issues are important to him/her

By spending time discussing different options so that the

Partner has unbiased support to help him/her to make vital

decisions

By focussing on what the Partner wants and helping him/her

to put his/her own views forward

By helping them to become more connected with their local

community

Citizen Advocates will not:

give their own opinion

work to their own agenda

do anything their advocacy partner does not want them to

do.

Share information without their advocacy partner’s

permission – unless they believe that their advocacy partner

or other people are at risk.

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