EARS Independent Advocacy Service (SCIO)

EARS is an independent advocacy service that has been providing advocacy to people in Edinburgh and the Lothians since 1999.

Originally called the Edinburgh Advocacy & Representation Service, it was funded to provide FREE, one to one independent advocacy for older people in Edinburgh and later in West, Mid and East Lothian.

Over the years it has developed into a service that now provides independent advocacy to a range of people.

What can EARS do for those people who use it?

EARS aims to provide independent advocacy, which will:

- Assist and support you to speak up for themselves – self-advocate
- Ensure that people who cannot speak up for themselves have their voices heard – advocate on behalf of you
- Provide opportunities for you to meet and self advocate on common issues – collective/group advocacy
- Assist you to achieve their goals and/or to access the services they need or would benefit from
- Provide the information you need to ensure that they can make informed choices and decisions
- Assist you to gain control over their situations and lives
- Protect your rights

EARS Independent Advocacy Service can enable you because it provides the conflict-free support you need – especially during those times when you feel you have no control or choice over the decisions being made for/about you or the options open to you.

EARS also strives to raise awareness of the role of advocacy and the benefit advocacy can have in improving people’s outcomes/lives.

For those using the service EARS will be ‘on your side and by your side‘.