At AdvoCard, we believe that every person has the right to be heard, to be treated with dignity, and to access independent advocacy. This page explains what you can expect from us when you use our service, and what we ask of you in return.
What You Can Expect From Us
Our commitment to everyone who uses AdvoCard
- We will treat you with dignity, respect, and compassion at all times — no matter your circumstances.
- We will listen to you without judgement and take your views seriously.
- We will respect your confidentiality. We will not share your personal information without your consent, except where there is a legal duty to do so.
- We will not discriminate against you on any grounds, including age, disability, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.
- We will be honest with you about what advocacy can and cannot do, and support you to make your own informed decisions.
- We will keep you informed about your advocacy and communicate in a way that works for you.
- We will be reliable and punctual, and let you know as early as possible if we ever need to reschedule an appointment.
- We will take any concerns or complaints you have seriously and respond fairly and promptly.
What We Ask of You
Advocacy works best when we work together
To get the most from our service and to help us support you as well as we can, we ask that you:
- Treat AdvoCard staff and volunteers with respect and courtesy.
- Communicate through the agreed channels — if you are unsure what these are, please ask your advocacy worker.
- Respect working hours and boundaries, and avoid contacting staff outside of agreed times.
- Let us know as soon as possible if you cannot attend an appointment or need to reschedule — we understand that things change.
- Be as open and honest with us as you can, so we can best understand your situation and support you effectively.
- Let us know if you have any concerns about the service — we genuinely want to hear from you and will always take feedback seriously.
We understand that things can be difficult
We know that many people who come to AdvoCard are going through stressful or distressing times. If you are feeling overwhelmed or frustrated, please know that we will do our best to support you. We simply ask that this frustration is not directed personally at our staff or volunteers. Our team is here to help, and we all work best when we can engage in a way that feels safe and respectful for everyone.
If Something Goes Wrong
If you are ever unhappy with any aspect of our service — including how you have been treated — please tell us. You can speak to your advocacy worker directly, or contact our office to raise a concern or make a complaint.
We take all feedback seriously. Raising a concern will never affect the advocacy support you receive.
Need to know more? Our Respectful Engagement Policy sets out our full commitment to safe, dignified, and professional interactions for everyone involved with AdvoCard. If you would like a copy, please ask your advocacy worker or contact our office.
