Oxfordshire Advocacy Development Group (OADG) is a registered charity dedicated to providing advocacy throughout Oxfordshire.

OADG also provides the Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA) service for Oxfordshire. For more information on this service click here.

TRAINING TO BE A VOLUNTEER ADVOCATE

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING A VOLUNTEER ADVOCATE, CALL US ON 01865 741200 or email us on oadg@oadg.org.ukYou can see more about volunteering on our Volunteer pages. Our next course will start some time in September 2008. We will post the dates here as soon as we have them.

What is advocacy?

Advocacy is speaking up for yourself or supporting someone else to speak up for her/himself. It means speaking up so that the person’s wishes, views and rights are listened to and taken into account in decisions made about them.

OADG advocates work to these principles of advocacy:

• Confidentiality
• Accountability
• Non-judgemental
• Independence
• No guarantee of outcome
• Empowerment

Who needs an advocate?

Anyone!!

Anyone who has difficulty saying what they want or being heard for whatever reason.
An advocate can be helpful: If you have memory problems When your life is changing and decisions have to be made, such as where you are going to live When it seems you are not being listened to When you don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings but want to say what you think When you disagree with what is being decided for you and need to challenge decisions made by others

If you are having difficulty finding information to make a decision

They are mainly volunteers They are trained and supported by OADG They are independent of all the other people around you They provide confidential support They are committed to equality OADG runs three different schemes providing advocacy for different reasons.

OSTAS provides short term or crisis advocacy for anyone.

ADAPt provides advocacy for people of any age with dementia

CAPOLD provides advocates to people with learning disabilities