[New] ADVOCACY NOW - GIVING PEOPLE A VOICE IN

Difficult Times

Advocacy Now’s café based on Sidcup Hill offers local people of all ages support and a safe place to meet.

In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, Advocacy Now, more than ever has a hugely important role to play, as CEO Gina Aston explains.

“At Advocacy Now we help local people by explaining all the options open to them on a particular issue. We do not tell them what to do but once they have chosen a particular course, we will fully support them.

For instance, we will help with debt consolidation, listening and understanding the issues they face and then if appropriate, bring in Step Change, a specialist debt charity, to progress things further.”

Advocacy Now’s staff and volunteers offer support with a range of issues such as care at home or in the community, choosing appropriate housing or problems with money and bills.

As Gina explains, a huge commitment of time and money has gone into creating the café space in Sidcup – but she believes it has been worth it as it gives the charity much greater visibility as well as a venue where people feel comfortable to engage and talk.

While the café is very much a welcoming and communal place, visitors are able to arrange private and confidential meetings with one of the trained volunteers to discuss whatever problems they face – home visits are also offered if required.

In many instances referrals to Advocacy Now are from social services. Those referred could be victims of abuse and/or vulnerable individuals who have urgent needs but do not feel they always have a voice or understand how to get essential help.

“We help those who are digitally excluded – they don’t have the hardware at home to scan documents or fill forms in online” Gina says. “We can also help people apply for grants and benefits or consider way to reduce their council tax. A lot of people feel left out, and we make sure they have a voice and that their voice is heard when decisions are made about them. Too often individuals are kept out of the decision making process.”

Volunteers And Funding

Gina has been with Advocacy Now for 14 years and has been involved in the voluntary sector since 2004, prior to that she worked with people with learning difficulties.

The seven-strong board of trustees at Advocacy Now includes those who have used the charity’s service over the years. From their own experiences, they can help ensure any support delivered is exactly what is required.

Currently, there are 30-35 volunteers who give their time and expertise to the charity – it used to be more and Advocacy Now is always looking for new volunteers.

As for funding, that is an ongoing challenge, as it is for most charitable organisations. “We have always been pretty successful in attracting funds from sources like the National Lottery and the City Bridge Trust but Local Authority funding has largely evaporated for small organisations like ourselves.”

With regards to backing from local businesses, Gina says it is an area that they have not really tapped into as yet and is keen to develop ties in future.

“We have noticed how supportive the local Sidcup community has been. The local Labour Party has offered us free office space and a solicitor in the area has agreed to provide our clients with legal advice at a much-reduced fee rate.

Gina adds: “Attracting funding is always difficult which is why it is so important to increase our profile in the area and explain the positive results we are able to achieve”.