The advocacy process

Before we can work together, we will need to ask you to sign some forms. This is because, by law, we need to show you’re happy for us to talk to others about your personal circumstances, and happy for us to keep information about you. The forms will be an authority to share form (to show you’re happy for us to speak to others about you), and a consent form (to give us permission to keep information about you).  

We will choose an advocate to work with you based on your needs and their experience. We will contact you as soon as possible to let you know who they are, and your advocate will agree with you how you will stay in contact.

When you first meet your advocate, you can talk about what you want them to help you with. You will then create an advocacy plan together and agree on what you want to achieve. Your advocate will give you a copy of the advocacy plan so you know what’s going to happen. 

Some of the actions in the plan might be for you to do, but your advocate can support you with these if that’s what you want. At the same time, your advocate will keep you informed about any conversations they’ve had with others about you and your circumstances.

When the actions in the plan have been completed, and you have been listened to by the relevant people, your advocate will close your case. At this point they will ask you if you’re happy with how they helped you, and whether you’re happy with the result. You can respond by filling out the feedback form. We can help you with this.