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Citizen Advocate (North East Fife Area)

  • VO98714

Description

Citizen Advocates have a unique opportunity to engage with a vulnerable adult in their community needing reliable, independent, help and support.

CitizInclude Me recruits, trains, matches and supports local volunteers to become Citizen Advocates for adults aged 16-65 living in North East Fife who are vulnerable, isolated and at risk of being excluded from their communities.

Citizen Advocates can support their Advocacy Partners by:

-Helping them make informed choices
-Helping them access services they are entitled to
-Assisting them to voice their opinions and wishes
-Helping them connect with their local community
-Spending time with them doing things they both enjoy

Advocacy partnerships are self-determining meaning the Advocate and Partner decide how to develop the relationship and achieve any mutually agreed goals and outcomes.

This is a flexible opportunity as the Citizen Advocate and Advocacy Partner decide together on a mutually suitable time, day, frequency and place of meetingen Advocates help people to voice their views, make informed decisions and become less isolated.

Organisation aims and objectives

Include Me recruits, trains and supports volunteers to become citizen advocates for vulnerable adults aged 16-65 in North East Fife. The development workers accept referrals from any source and the work to identify the best possible volunteer match for that individual. The organisation works with individuals affected by physical or learning disability, mental health issues (including Personality Disorder), chronic illness, Autism Spectrum Disorder, early onset Dementia and Acquired Brain Injury.

Availability

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Citizen Advocacy partnerships are long-term relationships without a fixed term.

Frequency and commitment details

Citizen Advocacy partnerships are long-term relationships without a fixed term.

Restrictions

Experience required: Volunteers do not need to have any professional knowledge or experience to become someone's citizen advocate. You do need to be reliable, non-judgemental, a good listener, have compassion and patience, a strong sense of fairness and a belief in social inclusion. You need to be prepared to speak out for your advocacy partner and safeguard their interests. You should also agree that everyone has the right to be respected, valued and have equality of opportunity.
Travel details: Include Me matches advocacy partnerships within the North East Fife area. They try to match Advocates and Partners local to each other to minimise travel.
Minimum age: 16

Support

Expenses paid: Yes
Expenses details: *Expenses are available to cover any social activities, trips and visits for both volunteer and advocacy partne
Training details: Volunteers are provided with 1:1 training with a Development Worker and group training with other new volunteers, in person or via a digital platform. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to meet with a Citizen Advocate to find out more about the role. Volunteers will be supported and offered training, if necessary, to use online meeting platforms such as Teams. Volunteers will be made aware of, and supported to access, training opportunities as they arise. Volunteers are provided with ongoing support from their designated worker including quarterly review meetings
Support: Named Contact For Volunteer,
Wheelchair Access/Disabled Access Toilet

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