citizenship

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.

When Dundee City Council decided it was important to get the views of people who used their learning disability services, they adopted a Citizen Leadership approach. They funded Advocating Together to employ five people with learning disabilities to consult with other people with learning disabilities, and find out what was most important to people, and what services would help them most. Advocating Together provided training for these five 'SAY reps', to give them the skills and information to do the job well.

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.

School children hear about anti-bullying campaign from People First.

Aman is a young man who lives in Edinburgh. He has made a big impact on the people who have seen him and heard him.
Aman is a citizen leader. He is passionate about giving other people the chance to achieve their potential.
This is what Aman does, in his own words:

I change mindsets
I get involved
I educate professionals
I challenge systems and processes
I work for real partnership

In the last few years Aman has

Includes clips from Sixth Annual General Meeting of the Scottish Dementia Working Group, celebrating the achievements of its members, all of whom are diagnosed with dementia, as well as interviews with, and presentations by, members.

Kirstein Rummery, Chair of the Social Policy at the University of Stirling, speaks about personalisation and some of the issues involved. The talk was delivered at the Personalisation and Community Capacity, a joint seminar and workshop by the Perth and Kinross Council and University of Stirling Partnership. It was held at the University of Stirling on 4 December 2009.

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.

This podcast is taken from the Scottish Policy Innovation Forum and presents Martin Powell talking about citizens, clients and consumers in the welfare state.

Document setting out a constitution for social care in England designed to make social care services simpler, fairer and more equal for all. It is based on principles such as citizenship, equality, access and eligibility, independence and choice and control.