Advocacy Pilots for People Affected by Stroke

Since 2008 the SIAA has worked in partnership with the Stroke Association Scotland to develop wider access to advocacy for people affected by stroke.

This work led to the establishment of three advocacy pilots.  These were delivered by Advocacy Highland across Highland Region, Lomond and Argyll Advocacy in West Dunbartonshire and Partners in Advocacy in their Edinburgh Physical Disability Service.   The choice of these three projects ensured a range of advocacy models and rural and urban areas.  The SIAA were involved with the Stroke Association in supporting the projects and will disseminating the learning to the advocacy movement. 

In addition to providing individual issue based advocacy, some work was done to explore collective and peer advocacy for both stroke survivors and carers.  Stroke Point, the collective and peer advocacy project in Forth Valley, grew out of a Stroke Association user involvement project with NHS Forth Valley
As part of this work Advocacy Highland has also developed a training package designed around advocacy and stroke.  This pack is about to be published and will be available to the advocacy movement and more widely for information and awareness raising.

To help capture some of the learning from these pilots a small book of stroke advocacy stories has been published.  This includes snapshots of the one to one advocacy delivered by three pilots.  The stories show that advocacy can and does make a difference.  Read the book here.

Following the end of Phase one of this project a Stroke Advocacy event was held on 9th November 2010 in Perth Concert Hall. The Stroke Advocacy Event aimed to share the experiences and learning from the stroke advocacy pilots with everyone who may have an interest; especially people directly affected by stroke and those with a role in supporting a good life after stroke.  Read the report on the event here.

Stroke services, in the widest sense, that support both physical recovery and a continuing life as an active citizen are clear campaign targets for The Stroke Association Five Year Strategy for Scotland. Advocacy is an important strand of this focus. Advocacy can and does make a difference.

For more information about the pilots and the work of The Stroke Association on user involvement contact Charlotte or Karen on: charlotte.lee@stroke.org.uk 07538 795270 karen.irvine@stroke.org.uk 07538 795221.