Advocard

AdvoCard provides independent advocacy services for people in Edinburgh who have with issues regarding mental health, problematic substance use, social security & welfare reform, and prison. We are funded to be independent of other services provided by the statutory and voluntary sectors. This enables us to stand alongside the person we are working with and to support them with minimal conflict of interest arising.

We provide our advocacy services through trained volunteer advocacy workers and employed advocacy workers. All of our advocacy workers are led by what the person they are working with wants to express and will help them in the process of trying to achieve their desired outcome.

We value our independence and we strive to be service user led as an organisation. We have service users as members of our ruling body and encourage service users to train as volunteers.

We operate a flexible referral process. We encourage self referral as well as accepting referrals from others, such as professionals or friends and family.

Independent Advocacy is a way to help people have a stronger voice and to have as much control as possible over their own lives. (Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance)

We work with people to make sure they have the information they need about their rights and the choices in front of them. We do not make decisions for anyone or tell them what they should do, but we can help support people to express their views and have their voices heard.

As an independent charity AdvoCard is separate from organisations that provide other types of services. We are not part of the Council, the NHS, or the Scottish Government, though they fund some of our services.

All our services are free