A Farewell to Advocacy
At the end of August I will be hanging up my advocacy boots and pulling on my carpet slippers when I retire from Connected Voice. Reflecting on my ten years or so with the advocacy service, the most striking thought is the amount of change that has taken place during that time. There have been major legislative changes that have had a direct bearing on health and social care advocacy, such as the introduction of the Equality Act 2010 and the Care Act 2014. In addition, the Health and Social Care Act 2012 introduced what the Kings Fund described as “the most wide-ranging reforms of the NHS since it was founded in 1948.”
At the same time, it feels as if the whole social, economic and political landscape has been turned upside down. I joined the advocacy service in March 2010, not the most auspicious of times, as the financial crash of 2008 had ushered in a period of austerity. Drastic cuts to public spending impacted on health, social and legal services and these were accompanied by punitive welfare reforms. Unfortunately, many of our service users, who are among the most vulnerable in society, found themselves at the sharp edge of all these cuts and at times it has felt as if social war had been declared on the poor. More recently, of course, we have had the divisive Brexit debate and now we are living through the strange days of the Covid 19 pandemic.
Fortunately, one thing that hasn’t changed is the capacity of our organisation and the determination of our staff to rise to the challenge of responding to all this change. We have not only survived these turbulent times but amazingly we have continued to thrive, constantly reinventing ourselves. I have personally survived three re-brandings, having worked for Newcastle Advocacy Centre, Advocacy Centre North and now Connected Voice Advocacy; two changes of job title and numerous adjustments to my role and responsibilities. Thankfully none of this has impacted on our commitment to our core values, to social justice and equality, to enabling those whose voices go unheard to speak up and secure their rights.
Change can bring with it fears and anxieties about what an uncertain future may hold. The feeling that things are beyond our control and that we are unable to influence events. One of the most rewarding aspects of working for Connected Voice is that rather than being left helpless in the face of change we are empowered to respond in a positive way. For example, when the welfare benefit reforms were causing distress to so many of our service users and we were inundated by enquiries from people facing destitution because their welfare rights were being undermined, we responded by developing a Welfare Advocacy Service and producing a campaigning report on foodbanks and food poverty. Similarly, our Hate Crime Advocacy service was developed in response to rising intolerance against minorities, fuelled in part by the arguments generated by the Brexit debate and the austerity programme.
I will certainly miss being part of an organisation that is responsive to the needs of the individuals, communities and network of voluntary sector agencies and charities it supports. I will also miss working with a diverse range of clients, through advocacy I have met and learned from people from many different cultures, varied walks of life and experiences. However, most of all I will miss being part of a wonderful team of advocates, who are animated by a passion to overcome social injustice and inequality and who strive to make the voices of their clients heard by even the deafest of ears. Long may it continue.
