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► Your Voice Counts

Your Voice Counts is a charity based in Gateshead and South Tyneside supporting people with learning disabilities to be involved in decisions that affect them and to lead full and interesting lives.
Advocacy is taking action to help people say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and obtain services they need.
Advocates and advocacy schemes work in partnership with the people they support and take their side. Advocacy promotes social inclusion, equality and social justice

CITIZEN ADVOCACY: speak up, include, empower...everybody has a right to speak up and be heard.

Our Citizen Advocacy Volunteers are matched with a person with a learning disability. They meet up with the person on a regular basis.

Their role is to...

- Support the person to be part of their local community

- Support the person to know their rights and make their voice heard

- Provide support with major decisions or difficulties in the person’s life

This is a flexible opportunity which can fit around other commitments.

Volunteers will gain experience and increased awareness of:
- Working on a one-to-one basis with people with learning disabilities
- Promoting rights and opportunities for vulnerable people
- Making a practical difference in people’s lives

We provide
• Free Introduction to Advocacy Training accredited by the National Open College Network
- History and Principles of advocacy
- Types of advocacy
- Personal motivation as an advocate
- Communication
- Relevant policies and legislation
- plus new Independent Travel session

TRAVEL BUDDY PROJECT

Help people to gain the skills they need to get where they want to be independently.
Your Voice Counts is an advocacy charity based in Gateshead and South Tyneside supporting people with learning disabilities to be involved in decisions that affect them and to lead full and interesting lives. Our Travel Buddy volunteers support adults with a learning disability living in Gateshead to help them to learn a journey on public transport which is important to them – maybe getting to college or a job or somewhere to see friends or family.

The roles involves...

- Helping people to make a journey that’s most important to them.

- Helping them to remember about safety when crossing roads and being around the public.

- Helping them to learn their route

- Encouraging them to do as much of the journey as they can independently.

At all times, the aim is to allow the person to complete as much of the journey as they can independently and with confidence. Volunteers meet the person at their home and accompany them throughout the journey to their final destination. Volunteers will also promote road and personal safety to the person using the service.

Volunteers will gain experience and increased awareness of:
- Working on a one-to-one basis with people with learning disabilities
- Promoting rights and opportunities for vulnerable people
- Making a practical difference in people’s lives

We provide
• Free Introduction to Advocacy and Travel Buddying training accredited by the National Open College Network
- History and Principles of advocacy
- Types of advocacy
- Personal motivation as an advocate
- Communication
- Relevant policies and legislation
- Independent Travel session

• reimbursement of expenses

• ongoing support and access to resources you may need to fulfill your role.

We are looking for volunteers who are honest, reliable, patient, non-judgemental and approachable.
Applications are subject to an enhanced CRB disclosure and reference checks.