Self-advocacy is about helping people to find their voice and to take more control over their lives.
The project was set up in 1996 and has a co-ordinator and a team of workers. Our aim is to create real change for people who have learning disabilities. We help people to campaign. We help them to have more of say in their services. We help them to organise events and conferences.
We also support a number of different groups. These include a group just for people from Black and Minority Ethnic Communities.
The self-advocacy team can be contacted on 024 7663 1040.
Helen’s story
When we first met Helen she was a fun woman with lots to say but had been held back over the years by being in a day service all her adult life.
We began by doing person-centred planning with Helen and listening to her. Helen began to attend meetings and her family started to see her growing in confidence and wanting more for herself.
She completed a leadership course which gave her the skills to think about her future but also taught her very practical skills in doing presentations, using flip charts and powerpoint. Since then she hasn’t looked back.
She is a Rep on the Partnership Board and again has been a very active member of the self advocacy team, involved in lots of different events and delivering training to other groups in the region.
As a result of this experience Helen got a job as a trainer and Grapevine supported her for the first six months of her post to deliver training to care workers.