📘 Easy Read: Advocacy

 

What is Advocacy?

• Advocacy means support and empowerment.

• Advocacy is about helping people make choices and speak up for their rights.

• Advocacy workers are different from carers or support workers.

  • ❌ They do not clean, shop, or do daily tasks.

  • ✅ They help people understand their rights and make decisions.

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1 Voice’s Definition of Advocacy

• Advocacy is a tool to support people.

• It helps people take responsibility for their own situation.

• Advocates know when to support and when to empower people to do things themselves.

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My Definition of Advocacy

• Self-Advocacy = speaking up for yourself and making your own choices.

• Peer Advocacy = supporting friends or others to make choices.

• Group Advocacy = speaking up for the rights of many people (example: unfair benefits system).

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Aims of Advocacy

• ✅ Help clients build skills.

• ✅ Support clients to become empowered.

• ✅ Explain information in a way that is easy to understand.

• ✅ Speak up for clients if they want that.

• ✅ Encourage clients to think for themselves.

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Equal Opportunities

• Everyone should have the same rights.

• Advocacy fights against discrimination and social exclusion.

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Independence

• Clients are encouraged to do things for themselves.

• Advocacy should be independent from organisations (no conflict of interest).

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Putting People First

• Advocacy puts the client first.

• Advocates:

  • ✅ Respect people’s needs and views.

  • ✅ Are non-judgemental.

  • ✅ Follow what the client wants.

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Supporting Advocates

• Advocates get training and support.

• They build up skills and experience.

❓ Quiz Page

Questions

1. What does advocacy mean?
   a) Cleaning someone’s house
   b) Helping people understand their rights and make choices
   c) Doing shopping for people

2. Which type of advocacy means speaking up for yourself?
   a) Self-Advocacy
   b) Peer Advocacy
   c) Group Advocacy

3. What is one aim of advocacy?
   a) To make decisions for people
   b) To explain information in a way people understand
   c) To do daily tasks for clients

4. What does “Equal Opportunities” mean in advocacy?
   a) Giving everyone the same rights
   b) Treating some people better
   c) Helping only friends

5. True or False: Advocacy workers should put the client’s wishes first.