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AdvoCard is
aimed at users of mental health services in Edinburgh. AdvoCard aims to
assist service users to express thoughts and preferences about their
own mental health needs and about other issues which affect their lives.
AdvoCard runs training programmes for people who wish to become
volunteer advocates and this is an essential part of the service which
makes this a unique project. |
AdvoCard
could help if:
- your feelings are not being
considered
- you are not being listend to
- you would like more information
- you would like to find our more
about your rights
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AdvoCard could benefit you by providing a
trained volunteer to support you by:
- listening to you and helping you
explore more options
- going to meetings or appointments
with you
- helping to draft letters
- accessing information
- offering moral support
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Some
of the issues that people have needed help with include:
- housing
- medication
- benefits
- employment
- getting in and out of hospital
- access to other services
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The fact that
we are based within the community makes us easily accessible and it
enables us to handle a wide range of issues affecting
peoples’ lives. |
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AdvoCard
recognises the importance of strict working practice with regard to
confidentiality and sets high standards with a strict confidentiality
policy. |
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At AdvoCard, we try to make accessing
the services we provide as easy for you as possible. we encourage you
to "self refer" or contact us yourself, in order that we can establish
very early why you would like and advocate.
If you find this difficult, we do also encourage workers to contact us
on your behalf.
So, telephone us, drop in and see us, or write!
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If you
come to AdvoCard wanting help about a specific issue, the process is
relatively quick. We can work with you around a number of issues,
whether they’re benefits issues, queries over medication,
your experience of the mental health system, housing issues and so on.
A worker will take some brief details from you to establish what it is
you would like help with. They will then assign you a suitable
Voluntary Advocacy Worker and arrange an appointment for you to meet them.
Having met, the Voluntary Advocacy Worker will establish how it is that you want them
to advocate for you. It could involve helping you fill in a form or
helping you establish what your rights are or where next to turn for
information. The important thing to remember is that they are there to
follow your instructions.
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If you are
seeking a more long term advocacy relationship, then a worker will
carefully match you to a suitable Voluntary Advocacy Worker. You will meet with them
and if you agree to have them as your Voluntary Advocacy Worker, the two of you will
draw up an agreement which lays out what you can and can’t
expect from them.
The agreement will include things like how often you meet, where, and,
the type of advocacy support you would like. You will each have a card.
Your card will tell others who your Voluntary Advocacy Worker is, and how to contact
them in an emergency. The Voluntary Advocay Worker ’s card will identify them
as your advocate.
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If
The
following Lothian Buses stop close to the office: 7, 10, 11, 12, 13,
14,16, 22, 25, 49
Or, please feel free to mention us to anyone you know who you think
might be interested.
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