Who might benefit from advocacy?

At its heart, advocacy is about helping people speak up so that their views can be taken into account in a decision making process. This means that advocacy can benefit anyone who is having decisions made about them by some other person or organisations. Examples might include:

Parents and families caught up in child protection proceedings. Regardless of the circumstances, parents, children, and other relatives are all entitled to have their views heard by the sheriff or panel, and we can support you in putting your views across in a productive way.
For children's representation and advocacy, please contact Who Cares Scotland to reach out to your Orkney Participation Worker https://www.whocaresscotland.org/get-support/advocacy/
People with learning disabilities or mental health issues. These challenges can make it especially difficult to engage with the important organisations in our lives, from education, to health, to social care services. Whether it is writing letters on your behalf or helping you to understand your options, our advocates can help.
People with dementia. Sometimes, when we have difficulties making decisions for ourselves for medical reasons, those decisions are taken out of our hands by the state. Even so, we are all entitled, by law, to be included in those decisions made about us, and to have our views taken into account. An advocate can help you put those views across in a meaningful and impactful way.
People who need support caring for themselves or others. Our advocates have a great deal of experience with self-directed support assessments, and can guide you through the process.
People who wish to challenge a decision regarding housing or benefits. We can help you understand the ways to appeal a decision, the basis of an appeal, and how to best put your case across. If you wish, we can even help prepare the forms and letters required by the appeal process.

Our advocacy services are not limited to only these issues. As the longest running (and for much of the time, only) advocacy service in Orkney, we are generalists, not specialists. As long as we have the capacity to help you, and the skills to help you, will do our best to advocate for you.

If you are unsure whether we would be able to help you with your challenges, please do not hesitate to contact us.