Advocacy

Advocates help people to make changes and take control of their own life. They are there to listen and help people feel valued in their own community.

Support is available for any age, young or old, whatever their disability, religion, culture or gender. 

Advocacy support can be:

• Talking things over eg help to understand what has been said by a housing officer or hospital consultant. 
• Finding things out together. 
• Speaking together at meetings eg at an assessment meeting or a case conference. 
• Helping and informing people so they can access their rights and entitlements.

Advocates can be:

• Volunteer or paid advocates. 
• People with specialist knowledge like doctors, lawyers or solicitors a group of people with the same needs.

Organisations

Age Concern - Advocacy for older people
Aylesbury, 01296 431911
Marlow, 01628 482883
www.ageconcern.org.uk

Aylesbury Vale Advocates - Helping people with either a learning disability or a mental health problem who have difficulty in communicating their needs.
Tel: 01296 432313

Peoples Voices - Voluntary organisation providing support and advice to people receiving direct payments and support to service users who wish to become involved in planning, delivering and monitoring their services.
Amersham, 0845 2410986
Aylesbury, 01296 422035
www.peoplesvoices.org.uk

Talkback - User led organisation for people with a learning disability 
Amersham, 01494 434448, email talkback@talkback-uk.com