Advocacy Explained

Self & Group Advocacy is about taking control of decisions about yourself and telling others what you want.

At Equality Together, our aim is to help you speak up and have your voice heard. We’ve got a few ways of doing this.

Equality Together hosts several User Groups and Forums. You can come to these groups and meet other people who also want their voice to be heard. You might feel nervous or uncertain at first and want to get to know the group before you speak up. That’s fine – we’re here to help you feel comfortable.

The User Groups and Forums talk about a lot of different things. There is normally a topic for each meeting. Some might affect you and others might not. They may be supported by member of Equality Together staff or run themselves. The people there will discuss the topic and use their experience to share opinions, discuss issues, and suggest solutions.

These user groups and forums include:

• Bradford Association of Visually Impaired People
• Creative Stroke Recovery Group
• Disabled People Action Group Bradford District & Craven
• Ladies Together Group
• Men Together Group
• Speakout Bradford District & Craven
• Talk Together Peer Support Group (Through Zoom)

If you’re struggling to sort out emotional issues, for example coming to terms with your disability or condition, and need to speak to someone about it, you can see one of our 1-2-1 advocates. They are people with lived experience of disability who have been specially trained to listen to you and suggest ways in which you can move forward.

People facing disabling issues or concerns sometimes need help and support. Our 1-2-1 advocates provide an opportunity to enable you to highlight and prioritise your issues and through a process of empowered support enable you to make decisions leading to positive solutions.

For help and advice call 01274 594173.

We do not provide statutory advocacy. This is provided by Voiceability. If you need help with:

• Independent Mental Health Advocacy
• Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy
• Care Act Advocacy (For people who will find it very hard to be fully involved in the care process, advocacy can help understanding and making decisions about the care and support they need)

Please call Voiceability on 01274 888017.

Our 1-2-1 peer support workers operate across Bradford District & Craven, where possible we use accessible rooms. We do not pay travel costs, but we do have limited funds for sign language translation and translation for people whose first language is not English. We also work with other organisations whenever possible to share resources and make sure that access issues do not prevent someone receiving support.

We believe that there is something very powerful about disabled people receiving support from another disabled person.

To become a one-to-one peer support worker, you must first take part in the training courses that we run. Our courses are checked by CERTA (formerly Open College Network), to make sure we are working at the right standard. People who complete one of our courses get a certificate showing what they have learnt and achieved. These certificates will help you go on to further courses, volunteering or work opportunities.

For more information, please contact 01274 594173.

The Groups we currently support is: –

• Bradford Association of Visually Impaired People
• Creative Stroke Recovery Group
• Disabled People Action Group Bradford District & Craven
• Ladies Together Group
• Men Together Group
• Speakout Bradford District & Craven
• Talk Together Peer Support Group (Through Zoom)

We have several experts, with lived experiences that represent people who are facing disabling barriers, at various strategic and operational working groups and networks, based within the Bradford Metropolitan District area. These include the following subject areas:

• Employment/Employability
• Safeguarding
• Housing
• Poverty (Anti-Poverty)
• Health & Social Care
• Equality & Diversity
• Safer & Stronger Communities

For more information on Group Advocacy please contact 01274 594173.

The programme operated in partnership with Bradford People First and Bradford Talking Media is to recruit, develop, support and sustain a dedicated pool of skilled voice advocates, each with their own unique lived experience, who in turn will represent and provide a positive and balanced view/opinion on issues, developments, and opportunities plus needed challenge and quality assurance working with partners and stakeholders across all sectors.

The programme will work within and link into the strategic and operational framework of The Co-production Partnership via thematic working groups, People Panels and Jury’s and various departments within Adult Social Care.

For more information please contact:

Wakas Ahmed, Welfare Advice & Voice Advocates Co-ordinator

• Telephone: 01274 594173 Option 6
• Mobile: 07943 405502
• Email: wahmed@equalitytogether.org.uk