The independent advocacy movement has grown and developed over the last 35 years. Many independent advocacy organisations in Scotland started through local communities coming together. The grassroots nature of independent advocacy has remained important for our member organisations. This has has ensured human rights and independence remain the cornerstones of independent advocacy provision to this day.
The Principles, Standards and Codes of Best Practice highlights the importance of independent advocacy being embedded in a local community or community of interest. Independent advocacy groups are often led and influenced by people with lived expertise and the needs of the specific community of interest and locality.
SIAA strongly supports grassroots, community based independent advocacy groups who have developed their expertise, knowledge, and practice of independent advocacy over many years. We aim to deeped our understanding of the grassroots work our member organisations do and support new local, grassroots independent advocacy organisations to grow. This involves:
- Supporting our members to have excellent governance, polices and training in place to work within the SIAA Principles, Standards and Codes of Best Practice
- Expanding independent advocacy to benefit more people in Scotland through our policy work
- Provide potential members with information about independent advocacy in Scotland
- Ensure grassroots, local and community of interest independent advocacy is valued by decision-makers
