1. Advocacy and Empowerment
Presented by:
On:
At:

2. Aims of this Session Empowerment and Disempowerment
Empowerment for all
What is Advocacy?
Advocacy and Rights
Self –advocacy and Recovery

3. “...empowerment refers to the level of choice, influence and control that users of mental health services can exercise over events in their lives. The key to empowerment is the removal of formal or informal barriers and the transformation of power relations between individuals, communities, services and governments.” (WHO 2010)

4. What is...? Disempowerment Empowerment
Feeling excluded from decision-making
No choice
Not listened-to
Feeling fearful
No confidence
Being-pigeon-holed
Labelled
Leads to disengagement
Feeling cautious
Family member feeling responsible for but not listened-to
Telling someone what they’ll get
Leads to conflict and poor outcome
At centre of decision making
Becoming informed through peer groups
Staff admitting they don’t have all the answers
Challenging decisions
Family members have confidence in self
Fear is replaced by hope
Included/consulted in decisions
Information & Education feels empowering
Asking someone what they want
Leads to Recovery

5. Empowerment
For Staff members
For Family & Carers
For Service users

6. Empowerment- Staff Member
Getting to know the person takes time- needs continuity of service
Respect- I’m doing the best I can with the best of intentions
Not taking what people say/behaviour personally- might not have anything to do with me
Not an easy job- self-care, being able to step back
Training in specific areas
Opportunity to be creative and do things outside the box

7. Empowerment- Family Member
Aiding communication with family, managing expectations
Helping family who feel lost, fearful (e.g. of relapse)
Finding the right approach
Dealing with varying views on what Recovery means
Support the family but respect the confidentiality and choice of the service user
Educate the family on Recovery
Able to go beyond only the medical model

8. Empowerment- Service User
People involved in decisions that affect them
Starting something new- replace old behaviour
Self-care
Be prepared to get involved and give input
Access to available resources to help overcome symptoms
Learning as much as you can e.g. Medication
Individual viewpoint- know yourself and learn from the past positive/negative triggers
Managing family relationships

10. Advocacy What is Advocacy?
Advocacy (n.) The act of arguing in favour of something, such as a cause, idea, or policy; active support.
— The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

11. Advocacy and Rights Civil Rights movement 1960’s
Patients Liberation Movement 1970’s
UK Advocacy Network 1990
Irish Advocacy Network 1999
Mental Health Act 2001-Tribunal
Mindfreedom Ireland 2003
SHINE, MHIrl, GROW, Le Cheile, Aras Follain

12. Advocacy and the Irish Advocacy Network Ltd
‘Peer advocates are people who have personal experience of mental health difficulties who have achieved a sufficient level of recovery to complete an accredited training course in peer advocacy. Once they are qualified they can complete a period working with an existing peer advocate before engaging with clients on their own. This puts them in a unique position in understanding the problems faced by people with mental health difficulties.’

13. Self Advocacy Tips
Know and understand your rights and responsibilities
Learn all you can about your disability, needs, strengths, and weaknesses
Know what accommodations you need as well as why you need them
Know how to effectively/assertively communicate your needs and preferences
Find out who the key people are and how to contact them if necessary
Be willing to ask questions when something is unclear or you need clarification

14. Self-advocacy

15. Self-advocacy Things I am good at/ Things I enjoy
In relation to Recovery, a change or changes I wish to see
The ways I will achieve this change/changes

16. ”Empowerment is not a destination, but a journey”
(World Health Organisation, 2010)

17. References
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company
[accessed on 30/8/2016]
[accessed on 8/9/16]
World Health Organisation (2010) “User empowerment in mental health– a statement by the WHO Regional Office for Europe”, WHO, Denmark.