Taking part work
Taking Part Work means a service provider works together with the people who use its services to try and improve the quality of those services.We are often asked to provide an independent Taking Part Worker to other organisations. In the past, these workers have supported ategi and Cardiff Day Service users to have a say.
We have just started to work with service users of Dimensions UK, to help them have a say about the services they receive.
Taking part work in Advocacy Matters (Wales)
We believe it is very important for our service users to have opportunities to Take Part in Advocacy Matters (Wales). Service users benefit because they are listened to and their ideas can be used to improve the service they get from us. We benefit too because we listen to what our service users want and that helps us to plan and deliver a high quality service to people.There are lots of ways that service users can Take Part in Advocacy Matters (Wales).
- volunteer to work in our office
- volunteer work on our newsletter
- be involved with organising our AGM
- be involved in our monitoring and evaluation project
- help us to recruit and interview new members of staff
- come to our summer barbeque and Christmas party
What Paul likes about taking part in Advocacy Matters (Wales)
“It makes me feel better. It’s given me experience. I’ve enjoyed making speeches at the AGM. I’ve done articles for the newsletters. I’ve been to meetings. I’ve been to parties and barbeques. My family has noticed that my speech has gotten clearer since I have been involved with Advocacy Matters (Wales). It’s given me more confidence.”
“If you don’t ask you don’t get”. I have found this to be true. Every time I have asked to take part in new things at Advocacy Matters it has lead to me doing something that I have really enjoyed.”
“Everything I have done has made me feel that I want to do more things. In the future my goals are to be involved in interviewing people and working in the office.”
Advocacy Matters employ a Taking Part Worker who works with our service users to help them to make the most of these opportunities to be involved. We also have a Taking Part policy that says the things we will do to enable our service users to take part.
We welcome new people who would like to Take Part in Advocacy Matters (Wales). Please contact us for more details.