Gateshead Advocacy & Information Network @ Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council

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Advocacy This section explains what advocacy is and what Gateshead Advocacy and Information Network does. It covers other advocacy projects and how to access them, as well as training courses available. Advocacy Code of Practice Gateshead Advocacy & Information Network (GAIN) How do I contact an advocate? What is advocacy? What is an advocate? Links to other Advocacy Websites Gateshead Advocacy & Information Network (GAIN) In partnership with Gateshead Advocacy groups and Local Authority funders, GAIN has six broad aims. These are to: ‘advocate for advocacy’ within Gateshead identify gaps in advocacy provision by researching unmet need, and have a strategic role in the development of Borough based Independent Advocacy services. support and develop a Gateshead network between advocates and advocacy projects. Identify workers’ training/support needs. Provide individual supervision and support to workers. promote good standards of practice through the Gateshead Advocacy Code of Practice. promote and provide advocacy awareness training to users, carers, workers in voluntary and statutory organisations, and students. maintain an advocacy library, database and directory. We do not provide advocacy support directly, but help people (and their carers, friends, family and professionals) to find appropriate advocacy support. Top \| Home What is Advocacy? Advocacy is when a person or a group of people speak up for themselves or others. It is about supporting and sometimes representing people’s needs, opinions and choices. Advocacy is about offering support for another person or a group of people, who are unable to represent their own interests, in a variety of situations. Advocacy can help people become more aware of their own rights. It can help people to exercise those rights and be involved in, and influence, decisions that are being made about their future. Advocacy is for people who are oppressed or at risk of being oppressed. This may include: people with learning difficulties, mental distress, dementia, the young, older people, the homeless, people with physical and sensory impairments, non-English speakers and many others. Advocacy is not . . . About offering advice, opinions or judgements about what is best for a person or persuading them to follow a particular course of action Advocacy is about not replacing support or a service which is lacking An advocate is not a substitute for the person being assessed because they are easier to talk to What is an advocate? An advocate is a person who supports and listens to their partner. They find ways of understanding their partner’s interests and needs, respond to and represent them, as if they were their own. With their partner’s permission an advocate will if required write letters, make phone calls, attend meetings, give support, research options, discover new opportunities, agencies and services. An advocate will . . . Spend time with the person and get to know their views and wishes Express a person’s views or wishes as if they were their own Take their side and speak and act on their behalf if necessary Ask questions, find information and challenge decisions where a person is not happy and has not been involved Inform a person of their rights and how to claim them All services provided by advocacy projects are independent and free Top \| Home How do I contact an advocate? There is a list of all advocacy projects in Gateshead below, together with phone number and the different groups of people they support: Advocacy in Gateshead & South Tyneside The Old Bank, Swinburne Street, Gateshead NE8 1AX Tel: 0191 478 6472 Fax: 0191 477 8559 Email: mail@aigst.com www.aigst.com Supports people with learning difficulties Alzheimer’s Society 2nd floor, Computer House, High Street, Gateshead NE8 1ET Tel: 0191 477 7490 E-mail: enquiries@alzheimersgateshead.org.uk Fax: 0191 478 3131 Supports people with different forms of dementia Age Concern 341-343 High Street, Gateshead NE8 1EQ Tel: 0191 477 3559 E-mail: advocacy@ageconcerngateshead.org.uk Fax: 0191 478 5307 Supports people in residential homes Pathways 46 Trinity Square, Gateshead NE8 1EQ Tel: 0191 477 7380 E-mail: pathways@mentalhealth.fsnet.co.uk Supports people with mental health problems Gateshead People Swinburne House, Swinburne Street, Gateshead NE8 1AN Tel/Fax: 0191 477 8898 Supports people with learning difficulties Gateshead Access Panel Unit K38, The Avenues, 11th Avenue North, Team Valley, Gateshead NE11 0NJ Tel: 0191 443 0058 E-mail: access.gateshead@dsl.pipex.com Supports people who have issues with the Disability Discrimination Act, and access to aids and adaptations Gateshead Visually Impaired People's Forum Peer Advocacy Tel: 0191 478 5959 E-mail: contactus@sightservice.co.uk Fax: 0191 478 3901 For people (including young people) with visual impairments North Regional Association for Sensory Support (NRASS) Tel: 0191 490 9166 E-mail: rebecca@northregions.org.uk Fax: 0191 490 9167 For people (including young people) with sensory loss Top \| Home Other Advocacy Web sites www.bild.org.uk Top \| Home Advocacy Code of Practice The code has been agreed by the Gateshead Advocacy Support Network. It was adopted and signed up to by Gateshead Council, Gateshead Primary Care Trust, Gateshead Health NHS Trust and the South of Tyne & Wearside Mental Health Trust at the National Advocacy Awareness event on 1st October Gateshead Civic Centre. Top \| Home