East Sussex Advocacy Scheme

Moving house, dealing with finances, applying to college, or getting a job - it's all big stuff and some extra support can make all the difference, especially for adults with learning disability.

The East Sussex Advocacy Scheme has been set up to do just that - it aims to guide clients and make sure they have control in their lives.

The scheme provides an advocate to work on a one-to-one basis with adults with learning disabilites, supporting them to solve their own problems, and speaking for them when they cannot do so themselves.

Clients can contact the team themselves by phoning 01323 739768., or be referred by a support worker, social worker or carer, or drop-in visits are held regularly at care homes and days centres to make contact with service users.

Advocates can help with a wide range of day-to-day problems, from sorting out money problems or legal matters to easing relationship issues and filling out forms.

An example of someone recently helped is Peter who was referred to the scheme requiring an advocate to support him moving home. Peter had been given the choice of various places to live, and although he was able to cope with everyday decisions, settling on a new home was proving too stressful. Peter didn't want to upset anyone by refusing a potential property, and was seeing each option as a gift, which meant he didn't want to cause offence by turning them down. The advocate recognised his difficulty and devised a method in order to support Peter to understand the different steps everyone goes through when making a decision as important as moving home.

The advocate helped Peter devise a list of what he liked and disliked about each property, and having visited each one together, Peter was then able to narrow down the one he wanted to move into. He is now getting ready to move and will be in his new home by Christmas. Peter is much happier and is looking forward to the future.

Volunteer coordinator Samantha Gateson commented: "Our clients are vulnerable adults of all abilities or disabilities; they have to have a learning disablity to be eligible for our services - but it can be any severity. For instance with somebody who is able but not confident enough, an advocate will work alongside them to build up confidence and enable them to speak up on behalf of themselves. In the case of someone with more severe disabilities we will work alongside them to find out what they want."

The work is "really rewarding" according to Samantha and the Advocacy Scheme is currently appealing for volunteers to get involved and work with adults with learning disabilities in the local community as citizen advocates, working with individuals and making sure that the services are available to more people. Their work will be to support and encourage people and help build their confidence enabling them to speak up and take more control in their lives.

Samantha started off as a citizen advocate herself while studying at university and said: "It is rewarding - you see on a one-to-one level how to make a change to that person's life."

Volunteers are invited to get in touch with her at the Advocacy Scheme and she says they can be involved as much or as little as they need - just once a week or a couple of hours a month if that's what they want.

Contact [email protected]