Supporting and Promoting Independent Advocacy in Gateshead

“Advocacy is when a person or a group of people speak up for themselves or others. It is about supporting and sometimes representing peoples needs, opinions and choices.”

Gateshead Independent Advocacy Code of Practice

The Independent Advocacy Code of Practice promotes standards of advocacy practice, ensuring that anyone involved in providing, purchasing or receiving advocacy services agrees what good quality advocacy is.

These guidelines will inform and advise individuals and organisations that provide advocacy currently and potential users of services and statutory agencies that purchase and provide wider services (e.g. Gateshead Council Community Based Services, South of Tyne & Wear NHS & Gateshead Primary Care Trust).

Organisations providing advocacy, providers of services who will work with advocates and purchasers of services can sign up to its principles. Those signed up to the Code will have an obligation to work within its guidelines.

The Code will advise and inform advocacy practice and help to evaluate the effectiveness of advocacy services. It will be reviewed by GAIN and any changes will be made in consultation with the signatories.

It was adopted and signed up to by Gateshead Council, Gateshead Primary Care Trust, South of Tyne & Wear NHS, Age Concern Gateshead, Alzheimer's Society, Gateshead Advocacy Information Network, Gateshead Access Panel, Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council, North Regional Association for Sensory Support, Pathways Advocacy, Sight Service, Skills for People and Your Voice Counts. It was officially launched by the Mayor of Gateshead on 12 January 2010.

Click here for a pdf copy of the Code.