What advocacy is and how it can help
Advocacy is free, independent support that helps you have your say in decisions about your health, care, and wellbeing.
At The Advocacy Project, our advocates work with you to make sure your views, wishes, and feelings are heard – especially when decisions are being made that affect your life.
Watch this video to find out more:
A deeper dive
To find out more about advocacy click on the topics below.
How advocacy works at The Advocacy Project
At The Advocacy Project, we offer independent, confidential advocacy to help people be heard and involved in decisions that affect their lives.
We are kind, honest, and strong in standing up for people’s rights and we believe everyone deserves to have their voice taken seriously.
Independent and on your side
Our advocates are independent from the council, the NHS, and care providers.
This means we’re not part of the services making decisions about you – we’re there for you.
We only take action if you ask us to, and we support you to make your own choices.
Who we support
We provide advocacy for a range of people including:
- people with care needs
- people with mental health needs
- older people
We usually meet people in their own homes or care settings, wherever feels most comfortable and safe.
Free and paid advocacy
Our advocacy is free for people living in the following London boroughs:
- Westminster
- Kensington & Chelsea
- Ealing
If you live outside these areas, advocacy support may still be available through:
- Our paid advocacy service for individuals
- Our spot purchase advocacy for organisations
We can talk this through honestly and help you understand your options.
Your choice, your voice
You are in control of your advocacy.
- You can ask questions at any time
- You can stop advocacy support whenever you want
Our role is to listen, support, and stand with you – not to speak over you or make decisions for you.
Advocacy is different to counselling, coaching and befriending. It’s about helping you have the right information and resources to make choices about things that matter, and to speak up about what’s important to you.
If you’re not sure whether advocacy is right for you, you can contact us for a friendly conversation.
What an advocate does and how they support you
Advocates talk with you and give you information in a way that’s easy to understand. An advocate can support you to:
- have your voice heard so you can live the life you choose
- know your rights so you receive fair treatment and can get the services you need
- gather and understand information so you can consider your options and make informed decisions.
Advocates can help you with:
- Speaking up at meetings
- Getting the right support
- Making a complaint
- Getting the services you need
We talk with you and give you information in a way you will understand. Our advocates will:
- Work with you one-to-one
- Meet with you where you want
- Explain what we can and cannot do
- Give you information about other services
We give you time and space to think about what you want and to tell us what you need.
Confidentiality and trust
What you share with your advocate is confidential.
We will not share information with anyone else unless:
- you ask us to
- we are worried that you or someone else is not safe
We take confidentiality seriously and will always try to be open and honest with you about any concerns.
When someone might need an advocate
You might benefit from an advocate if you want more say in decisions about your life, but feel unsure, unheard, or supported by people who do not fully understand what matters to you.
Here are some examples of when advocacy can help.
Making choices about money and independence
Harry wants to make his own choices about his money. His benefits are paid into his mum’s bank account, and she gives him weekly pocket money. Harry would like to have more control, but isn’t sure what having his own bank account would mean.
An advocate could:
- listen to what Harry wants
- help him understand his options
- support him to explain his wishes to other people
Wanting more independence at home
Paula wants to be more independent and spend time with friends on her own. Her dad worries about her safety and feels she should not go out alone.
An advocate could:
- listen to Paula’s views
- support her to share what matters to her
- help Paula and her dad understand each other’s concerns
Feeling unheard by support staff
Tom feels uncomfortable because his support worker often talks on the phone while supporting him. Tom has said he doesn’t like this, but feels his concerns are not being taken seriously.
An advocate could:
- listen to how Tom feels
- support him to explain his concerns clearly
- help him make a complaint, if he wants to
- support better communication between Tom and his support worker
Speaking up in care and support reviews
Ade is having a review of her care and support. Although her mum cares deeply about her, she often speaks on Ade’s behalf, which makes it hard for Ade to share her own views at the meeting.
An advocate could:
- spend time with Ade to understand what she wants
- explore what is working well and what she would like to change
- use communication tools or visual aids to help Ade express herself
- support her to be heard at the review meeting
Changes in health, safety, or support needs
Ravi has fallen several times at home and is going out less than he used to. His support worker has noticed that he has lost weight and is struggling more with daily tasks.
An advocate could:
- help Ravi understand his rights under the Care Act
- support him to ask for a reassessment of his needs
- explain what will happen during the assessment
- support Ravi to share what support he needs
help him understand the decision and what to do if he disagrees with it
You don’t have to be sure
You don’t need to know for certain whether you need an advocate.
If something doesn’t feel right, if decisions are being made about you, or if you feel unsure about your rights or choices, an advocate can help you think things through and decide what to do next.