Advocacy
Advocacy is a way of working to ensure that people’s rights and wishes are respected, giving them the choice and control they deserve. It is about supporting people to speak up and get their views listened to.
- Self-advocacy – is supporting people to speak up for themselves and express their own views
- Citizen advocacy – is an ordinary member of the community forming a long term, one-to-one relationship with a person who has a learning disability so they can speak up on their behalf and represent their views and interests
What is available in Walsall?
Mencap Empowerment Service
Offers training, mentoring and support to groups of adults with learning disabilities to help them develop the skills and confidence to speak up and get their voices heard. The service is funded by the Walsall Learning Disability Partnership Board. The service supports Self-advocacy groups at most of Walsall’s Community Bases and Links to Work sites, and concerns and issues raised at these meetings are fed into the larger self-advocacy group known as Making Our Choice.
Making our Choice
Making our Choice is a self-advocacy group supported by the Mencap Empowerment Service. Anyone aged over 18 years can be a member. Group members set their own agenda to discuss topics which concern them and work together to raise awareness, influence and challenge the way services are delivered. Representatives are members of the Learning Disability Partnership Board, its associated advisory groups and many other local, regional and national groups.
Contact us
Making Our Choice
38 Lysways Street
Walsall
WS1 3AQ
Telephone 01922 746079
Email alison.davies@mencap.org.uk
Walsall service users empowerment
Gives support and encourages empowerment to all disabled groups including people with learning disabilities. They are funded by Walsall Council and support any self advocates who require it. There are four people with learning disabilities on their committee.
Contact us
Walsall Service Users Empowerment
Unit 1
Talisman House
47 Bath Street
Walsall WS1 3BX
Telephone 01922 644983
Email walsallsue@supanet.com
Advocacy Matters
Advocacy is now provided in Walsall by Advocacy Matters. They will accept referrals from professionals, carers and learning disabled adults across the borough.
Contact us
Advocacy Matters
198 Boldmere Road
Sutton Coldfield B73 5UE
Telephone 0121 321 2377
Website www.advocacymatters.co.uk
Age UK (formerly Age Concern)
Age UK deliver learning disability advocacy for mild to moderate LD (18+ years).
The service provides support with a wide range of advocacy issues such as help with letter writing, form filling, support through appeal or complaint procedures and the facility to conduct full benefit checks. Appointments can be made for home visits or by visiting us in our offices in Lower Hall Lane.
Contact us
Age UK Walsall
50 Lower Hall Lane
Walsall
WS1 1RJ
Telephone 01922 638825
Email advocacy@ageukwalsall.org.uk
This page was last updated on 09 January 2012