How to become an Advocate
 

WHO CAN VOLUNTEER

Volunteering as an advocate is open to all sections of the community. There is no age limit and no previous experience is required. However, we are looking for a number of personal qualities such as those outlined below:

Empathy: - We would expect volunteers to be able to empathise with their partner. This means to see the world through the eyes of their partner and understand how they are feeling. This empathy may come from having been a service user, carer themselves or from own life experience.

Able to keep boundaries - the advocacy relationship is a difficult one to manage. The advocate will have their own opinions and ideas but must be able to put tem to one side in favour of their partner's. They must be able to refrain from imposing solutions on their partner. (Interview/ Training)

Reliability and Trustworthiness - partners must be able to rely on their advocate. This will include knowing that they will turn up when and where they say and on time. It also means knowing that their advocate will keep their promises. (Training /References)

Able to respect confidentiality - the advocate must be able to understand that the advocacy relationship is a special one and that the advocate owes a duty of confidence to their partner. The nature of that duty will be explained during preparation but volunteers should be able to demonstrate that they are able to keep a confidence. ( Training /References)

Able to manage stress - this includes knowing when to ask for support, being able to admit when things are not going well, being willing to participate in support sessions and training events. (Interview /References)

Ability to be flexible - The agenda for an advocacy partnership is set by the partner and the advocate must be able to adapt themselves to the changing wishes and aspirations of their partner. There can also be high and conflicting expectations of the advocate from the partner and, for example, people involved in their care. The advocate must be able to respond appropriately to these different situations. (Interview / Training)

Stability - People who are using or have used health or Social Services often bring valuable experience to their advocacy role. However, advocacy may not be suitable for people who are not in reasonable health or who have gone through or about to go through a major life change. Individual circumstances will be discussed by the support worker and volunteer together. (Interview/ References)

Equal Opportunities - advocates need to be aware of their own prejudices and ready to confront their own and other people's prejudices in promoting Derbyshire Advocacy Service Equal Opportunities Policy.

Friendliness - Above all, the advocate should be friendly, able to relate to people well and be self-confident. (Interview/ Training /References)

 Experience

Advocates gain valuable experience, which may help towards a job, making a career change or starting a training course.

 

Expenses
Travel expenses are payable to all volunteers. We are covered by personal and public liability insurance, drivers are asked to produce evidence of their own motor insurance.  The current rate for travel expenses is 40p per mile.

Ongoing Support
We are also aware that volunteers need ongoing support, so our Coordinators are on hand to give individual support at any time and co-ordinators will contact each volunteer at least once a month (citizen/group) or more frequently (crisis advocates) to ensure that everything is ok.

Availability
Volunteers can give as much or as little time as they are able, but we do ask that you are consistent. To give some indication of the time needed please see below:

Ø      Citizen advocates - Some volunteers meet their citizen advocacy partners for a few hours, weekly,  fortnightly, or monthly. 

Ø      Group advocates – groups take place for a few hours per month

Ø      Crisis advocates – this varies depending upon the issues

If you decide you would like to talk more about becoming a volunteer, you will need to contact Aish Palmer at our Head Office in Derby. Please see out contact info page for details, and we will arrange to meet you wherever and whenever is convenient.

If you still wish to proceed, we will ask you to complete an application form, and a CRB (Criminal Record Bureau) form. We will also ask for your passport, driving licence or birth certificate, and a recent utility bill. We will copy these and return the originals to you.
We will also need to contact 2 referees.
Once your application has been approved, we will contact you to arrange induction training, during which we will explain our confidentiality policy and ask you to sign a declaration of confidentiality. We will then introduce you to your potential partner with your Coordinator's support.

The application form is available in 2 formats - Microsoft Word, or Adobe Acrobat. Please click on the format you wish to download.