advocacy

Ceartas is an independent advocacy organisation in East Dunbartonshire. Still Game is a project that encourages people who have had an advocate develop their leadership skills so that they can play a part in how the organisation runs.
Still Game started because Ceartas are keen to get real people involved at the heart of the organisation. Ceartas want to hear what they really think about the services they use. It is also about helping individuals take control over their lives, speak up and influence the social care services they use.

The Scottish Dementia Working Group (SDWG) is an independent group that was set up by people with dementia. We are a friendly group run by, and for, people with dementia or a related condition. We meet to support each other and find ways to improve services and attitudes.
(Photo 1) The Working Group campaigns to improve services for people with dementia and to improve attitudes towards people with dementia.
We do lots of things to improve services. We participate in forums, committees and conferences to change policy. We campaign to make dementia a high priority.

The Scottish Government and COSLA are determined to ensure that carers are supported to manage their caring responsibilities with confidence and in good health, and to have a life of their own outside of caring. This is a strategy developed by the Health Boards, national carer organisations and carers, which will build on the support already in place and take forward the recommendations of the landmark report, Care 21: the future of unpaid care in Scotland.

Website resource with links to a range of publications on various subjects, including advocacy, sexuality and relationships, disabled children, personalisation and direct payments, and finance.

The purpose of the Scottish Legal Action Group is to promote equal access to justice in Scotland. Accordingly, the Group seeks to improve and advance Scots law for the benefit of those members of society who are economically, socially, or otherwise disadvantaged.

The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) was set up as a result of the work undertaken by its predecessor, Advocacy 2000, a three-year project set up to look at the needs of the Advocacy Movement in Scotland, and how these could be supported in the future. The SIAA is devoted to the promotion, support and defence of Independent Advocacy in Scotland. It is a membership organisation that has the overall aim of ensuring that Independent advocacy is available to any vulnerable person in Scotland.

The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) promotes, supports and defends the principles and practice of independent advocacy across Scotland. This newsletter provides an update on the progress of the SIAA and includes details of their 'Training for Trainers' session, information about elder abuse, Freedom of Information Act (Scotland) 2002, some health and safety issues and details of useful organisations.

Mind is a leading mental health charity in England and Wales and has produced information on many areas of mental health. This factsheet defines advocacy and discusses the different kinds of advocacy, who advocacy is for and the situations where it could be applied. Also included is a list of useful organisations and further reading.

Document detailing the UK Government's strategy for people with learning disabilities for three years following consultation and response to the main recommendations in 'Healthcare for all', an independent inquiry into access to healthcare for people with learning disabilities.

Casework practice is the process whereby, for example, housing officers, anti-social behaviour officers and neighbourhood wardens work with a tenant who has reported a racist incident to help resolve a complaint. This article focuses on the need for racist/hate incident case workers to be aware of the value of empowerment, and to be able to offer an empowering service when working directly with clients.