Read Allans story on how volunteering helped him back into work My name is Allan and I am a Volunteer Advocacy Worker. I started my role with AdvoCard around 4 months ago after being unemployed for two and a half years. Being unemployed, contrary to popular belief, is actually really difficult. I lost structure in […]

Read Volunteers Pete’s story on how volunteering has helped him towards his goals My name is Pete, aged 39. I have been volunteering with AdvoCard as a volunteer advocacy worker for the past 7 months. After receiving treatment for problematic alcohol and substance use, I decided to make some big changes to my life. I […]

My name is Jacob Moody, I’m 28 years old, and am a Volunteer Advocacy Worker with AdvoCard Advocacy, and I’ve been volunteering with AdvoCard since March 2024. I started volunteering with AdvoCard because I believe that advocacy is an important service, as far too often peoples voices are ignored by health and other professionals, and […]

Jo, 32, Volunteer Advocacy Worker  I’ve been volunteering with AdvoCard for 9 months. I had been considering volunteering for many reasons: to gain some experience and further my career, to help others, but mostly life was feeling a bit stagnant. I knew I needed to do something to feel more fulfilled. Having had a strong […]

I’ve been volunteering with AdvoCard for over a year now. I came across the organisation at a point in my life when I felt lost and uncertain about what was next. Advocacy appealed to me because it stood for something I believed in—challenging injustice and empowering others. In truth, I think I needed a bit […]

This year we will be celebrating thirty years of providing advocacy in Edinburgh. To mark the occasion we will be holding an exhibition of our history from our beginnings in 1994 to present day. Come down and find out about our work past and present. If you would like to find out more about how […]

Our Volunteers Liz and Anne were invited to Volunteer Edinburgh’s Inspiring Volunteers Awards Ceremony this month where the Lord Provost presented them with an award for our entire volunteer team. This award is in recognition of each and every one of our volunteers who give up their time each week to support people who are […]

We currently have vacancies for the following two posts. Community Engagement Officer Fixed term to 31st March 2025 Hours per week – 21.75 over 3 days Salary – £25315 (pro rata) Overview We are seeking a passionate and dedicated Community Engagement Officer to join our team. As a Community Engagement Officer, you will play a […]

AdvoCard will be closed from 5pm Thursday 28th March until 10am Tuesday 2nd April for the Easter Break.

We are pleased to invite you to our Annual General Meeting which will be heldat 3:30 pm on Tuesday 12th December 2023 This year we will be meeting in person in at 4 Duncan Place, Leith, EH6 8HWIf you would like to attend, but are not able to do so in person, please contact usbelow […]

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Bothy Drop in closed today 09:00 – 11:30Central Prescribing Clinic, Spittal Street 11:00 – 13:00 Whitehouse Kitchen, 70 Niddrie Mains RoadBy appointment only 10:00 – 12:00North Edinburgh Arts Centre McMillan Square 12:30 – 14:30Harm reduction Clinic Spittal Street 13:00 -15:00White House Kitchen Drop in

Paul has shown exceptional commitment to supporting and empowering volunteersover the past five years. Starting as a volunteer himself, he has trained over 60volunteers through eight courses, many of whom continue to work with AdvoCard.During the pandemic, Paul’s dedication stood out as he kept volunteers engagedand included through virtual training sessions and regular updates. His […]

AdvoCard contributed to the latest report from the Homeless Rights Advocacy Project on failures in the provision of temporary homeless accommodation. You can read the report here.

We are delighted to publish the report from our survey on housing and mental health, carried out in 2022. We would like to say a big thank you to everybody who contributed. Issues raised included: People told us about the impact housing issues have on their mental health. They also identified a whole list of […]

HMICS (HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland) are carrying out a review into ‘mental health related policing services’ – how police officers interact with and meet the needs of people with lived experience of mental health issues, particularly when they are in a crisis. For more information about the review, please see https://www.hmics.scot/publications/policing-mental-health-scotland-thematic-review-terms-reference We are […]

Standard 8 ensures that everyone has the right to support from independent advocacy when seeking treatment. If you would like to know more. Please get in touch

We are proud to present the launch of Stigma Stories A collection of stories from people with lived experience of problematic substance use and how stigma has affected their experience of recovery. We will be launching the book on Monday 10th October, 4pm at Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 26 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh. To […]

AdvoCard recently supported Edinburgh Community Voices to contribute to the consultation on the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Scotland. We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who gave their views. You can read Edinburgh Community Voices’ response below. As the consultation paper was very long, we have only included here […]

Our next training course will begin in October. Get in touch if you are interested in joining. Our highly valued team of Volunteer Advocacy Workers deliver a vital advocacy service for people who identify as having a mental health condition or problematic substance use. All volunteers receive comprehensive training which is delivered face to face […]

Our Volunteer Coordinator will be braving the weather and walking the Edinburgh Kiltwalk again this year. All funds raised go towards showing our appreciation for our amazing volunteers. click here if you’d like to donate.

Whitehouse Kitchen 24.08.22 1-3pm

New deadline: Monday 7th November We would like to hear from you about how your housing situation is affecting your mental health, and if there are any changes which could improve life for people in Edinburgh with lived experience of mental health issues. You can tell us about applying for housing, housing conditions, or any […]

AdvoCard Collective Advocacy have heard from a number of people in Edinburgh that they have had difficulty in seeing or making an appointment with a psychiatrist in the last year or so, with some people with severe or enduring mental health issues being told they will no longer receive care from a psychiatrist. We would […]