Advocacy
The Impact Advocacy service is for adults with learning difficulties. Operating across West Sussex, the service is free, independent and confidential. A mix of paid staff and trained volunteers provide one-to-one, drop-in or group sessions, depending on people's needs.
The advocate's role is to support their advocacy partner (the person with learning difficulties) to make their views known and to be heard. The advocacy team is dedicated to listening to and finding out what people need and helping them to gain greater independence and control in their lives.
Advocates can help people with a range of issues including housing, family and social relationships, money, making complaints, access to health and social care services, funding issues and work.
The Impact service supports Bognor and Chichester VOICE, Worthing Speakabout and Haywards Heath SpeakUp Self-Advocacy groups. Advocates also work with residents/tenants groups, user groups within services and policy/planning forums for people with learning difficulties.
“Someone who has got the time to sit down and talk things through. They are never in a hurry.“
Links
Community Legal Services http://www.legalservices.gov.uk/
European Social Fund
www.esf.gov.uk
British Institute of Learning Disability (BILD) www.bild.org.uk
Citizen Advocacy Information and Training www.citizenadvocacy.org.uk
Circles of Support www.circlesnetwork.org.uk
Mencap www.mencap.org.uk
Paradigm www.paradigm-uk.org
People First www.peoplefirst.org.uk
Values into Action www.viauk.org
Valuing People Support Team www.valuingpeople.gov.uk
The Big Bridge www.thebigbridge.org
ICIS Information for Life icis-info4life.org.uk/
Our Projects
We currently run 15 projects across Sussex.
For a complete listing of all our projects, please see our Services Directory.
Bridge the Gap
"In 1978 IMPACT’s original vision was to: 'Bridge the Gap'. That is to provide services for hard to reach, excluded communities and individuals across Sussex, to ensure access to services and support where there is clearly identified need. We continue to maintain this vision and I am continually inspired to see the range and quality of our services, the dedication of our staff and volunteers and the number of people we are able to help"
Mike Long, Chair
