Manchester Mencap
Citizen Advocacy
What does Citizen Advocacy mean?
Citizen Advocacy is a means to promote, protect and defend the welfare and interests of people who are vulnerable.
Many people with learning disabilities are not able to participate fully and can often become physically and/or socially isolated.
Citizen Advocacy aims to involve people in their local community.
It does this by enabling people to have a ‘voice’ and to make their own decisions about things that affect their lives.
Who are Citizen Advocates?
Advocates are ordinary members of the community who gives their time without payment and form a long term, one-to-one relationship with a person who has a learning disability.
What does a Citizen Advocate Do?
Advocacy means to speak up for someone.
Most of us at sometime in our lives speak up for others or hope that someone will speak up for us.
The Advocate gets to know and supports their partner.
They ensure that his or her views, feelings, wishes and rights are being listened to and upheld.
A Citizen Advocate is independent of the person’s family and service provision.
They ensure that decisions being made are done solely in the interests of the partner.
The Advocate is there for their partner through the good and the bad times.
They will support their partner to think ideas through and then do something about it, if needed.
How does Manchester Mencap help?
The Manchester Mencap Citizen Advocacy Scheme recruits, trains and supports volunteers to act as Citizen Advocates for people with learning disabilities in Manchester.
If you would like to know more, contact Kath McDermott or Mathew Smart either by phone, email or letter.
Manchester Mencap, Crossacres Resource Centre,
1 Peel Hall Road, Manchester, M22 5DG
Tel: 0161 4379465