What is advocacy?
Advocacy is when another person stands beside you to help you solve a problem. It is when an individual (an advocate) speaks out on your behalf to protect and promote your rights and interests.
Advocacy might help you when you feel like you can't speak out on your own about something, or you want some support along the way.
What does an advocate do?
An advocate can help you sort out a problem yourself, or help you sort out a problem by doing things for you.
An advocate might:
- help you write letters;
- help you make phone calls; or
- go to meetings with you or on your behalf.
Usually an advocate will work with you on a short term basis, for a particular issue or problem, and will stop working with you when the issue is resolved.
An advocate is independent of all other people who might already be working with you, such as your family member, physiotherapist, attendant care worker or case manager.
An advocate can't give legal help, but an advocate may be able to tell you where you can get this kind of help if you need it.
Find out more about advocacy by reading this fact sheet:
Where can I find an advocate?
There are several agencies providing advocacy services as part of the National Disability Advocacy Program (NDAP), funded by the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FAHSCIA).
FAHCSIA has a list of agencies providing advocacy services that you can contact.