Groups and Clinics
Women Together
This group is a self-advocacy group of adults and is exclusive to women with a learning difficulty. This group takes place at our office on Howard Street every Thursday morning. The group is facilitated by Debbie Walker and co-facilitated by Volunteer Dianne Langley. This year we have enjoyed:-
• Discussing current events happening in our Region
• Group coffee morning to catch-up and chat with each other
• Craft sessions
• Pamper sessions
• A team building day out to Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens
Many thanks to everyone for their help and support to make this year very enjoyable for our group.
Please contact us for more information.
Women Inspiring Women
Women Inspiring Women are three learning disabled ladies who have completed the 'Training for change' course to enable them to become trainers themselves.
They were awarded the 'Nancy Barber award' in 2005. To carry on with their work with Women with disabilities.
Women Inspiring Women's main tasks are:-
• Supporting Women Together Group by typing up the minutes and notes on
our various discussions
• Providing training to various groups on our experiences of people with a
learning difficulty
• Contributing to meetings as long standing members of Independent
Advocacy's Executive Committee
The three ladies enjoy their role in Advocacy; it has enabled them to become Peer Advocates, so helping other people with learning difficulties.
Good Friends and Good Friends Too
Our two Good Friends Groups meet on alternate Monday evenings at our offices in North Shields. Each group has a "social" aspect as well as dealing with more "serious" issues.
The issues we have deal with recently include policing matters, public transport and the Future of Care green paper. Our social aspects include a "lottery bonus ball" , a savings club and "team building outings".
'Shout Out' at Rising Sun Farm
This group meets around monthly at the Rising Sun Farm which is a North Tyneside Council enterprise which gives its trainees experience of working in agricultural, horticultural and animal husbandry situations as well as undertaking other forms of training. The group meets on a number of different days so more service users can access the group.
The meetings centre on the members' work and training as well as other things they wish to discuss. As at Complete Growth the meetings have an agenda and minutes are taken. a feature of the meetings is the input by the centre manager.
Complete Growth Communication group
This group meets monthly at the Complete Growth Garden Centre which is a North Tyneside enterprise based at Howdon Park.
The members take part in horticultural activities as well as other training such as computer work and business enterprise training. The group has an agenda for each meeting and minutes are kept.
Our discussions focus on the group members' work, training and areas of interest and concern to them. As at the Rising Sun Farm the input of the centre manager is a valuable part of the meeting.
The group have developed good working relationships with others such as Alnwick Garden and The Friends of Howdon Park.
Your Voice Counts BME Clinic
The Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Advocacy Clinic was started at the Wallsend Peoples Centre in March 2009 to provide support for refugees and asylum-seekers, and to other members of the public, as they face their day to day challenges. Our advocates have been holding this weekly face to face contact every Tuesday, and there has been growing interest from our target community.
The experience in official circles has been that people of the Black and Minority Ethnic background record low access to public services. The reasons range from language barrier, cultural differences and official bureaucracy. Advocacy for this segment of the population will go a long way to address some of these problems and create equal opportunities for all.
As awareness grows we hope to receive more referrals in order for our services to be utilized optimally.
Percy Hedley Self Advocacy Group
Soon to be celebrating its second "birthday" this group meets regularly at the Percy Hedley Able2 centre in Forest Hall. After our successful pilot project, the group has recently been awarded a Big Lottery grant which will enable us to expand upon our activities.At present the group are planning a "behind the scenes" visit to the Sage in Gateshead and other events.
As well as the group itself, our presence at Percy Hedley has led to a number of cases, where our advocates have been able to support both group members and other Percy Hedley service users.
Advocacy Clinic Ward 21 North Tyneside General Hospital
Every Wednesday between 3:30 and 4:30 we run an Advocacy Clinic on Ward 21. This is open to all patients on the ward who can come along to talk with one of our case advocates about any concerns that they may have relating to their stay on the ward or issues that they may have encountered prior to being admitted.
The clinic itself is usually run by one of our IMHA advocates, Alison Topping, although Andy Wigmore or Tony Blair cover occasions when she is unable to attend.
In the time that this service has been operational we have assisted patients with a wide range of cases and feel that this a valuable sevice for patients who have encountered Mental Health issues resulting in their admittance, either formally or informally, into a hospital environment.
IMHA: Independent Mental Health Advocacy
IMHA cases concern people who are qualifying patients within the Mental Health Act, either formally detained in Hospital or people on a Community Treatment Order, or under Guardianship.
IMHA advocates are statutory advocates whose role and powers are enshrined in legislation. Access to IMHA has been a right of qualifying patients since April 2009. IMHA advocates can help inform a patient of their rights and the powers of those involved with their care. Cases can involve assisting people with professional meetings about their care under the Mental Health Act and support with Hospital Managers Reviews and Tribunals. Independent Advocacy (North Tyneside) runs the IMHA service for patients who are residents of North Tyneside. At present we have three IMHA case advocates.
