By Paul Payne, Best Practice Facilitator
At MacIntyre, we believe everyone should have the chance to speak up, be heard and shape their own life. Self-advocacy is a part of how we do things every day.
When people have the confidence and support to share their views, brilliant things happen. They make choices that matter to them, influence how support works, and inspire others to do the same.
But we also know it’s not always easy. Building strong self-advocacy groups takes time, commitment and creativity; and sometimes, we have to find new ways around old barriers.
The Barriers We’re Tackling
Across the country, many self-advocacy groups face similar challenges:
- Time and confidence: Staff can sometimes feel unsure about how to help people lead their own advocacy, especially when days are already busy.
- Priorities: In the middle of day-to-day support, self-advocacy can slip down the list.
- Resources: Groups need space, travel and support to keep going.
- Change: When staff move on, it can be hard to keep things consistent.
Although barriers do exist, we know they’re not permanent, and certainly not impossible to overcome.
Finding Solutions Together
Across MacIntyre, teams are already coming up with creative ways to make self-advocacy part of everyday life.
- Embedding advocacy into roles: We’re making it clear that supporting people to have a voice isn’t an extra, it’s part of great support. Training, encouragement and real examples help colleagues feel confident to make this part of what they do.
- Creating champions: Many of our strongest groups start with passionate people – colleagues and people we support – who bring others along with them. Having the right people as champions sparks enthusiasm and helps advocacy grow from the ground up.
- Thinking creatively about resources: We know funding can be tight, so we look for ways to share spaces, link up with local partners and make the most of what’s already around us. Working together keeps groups sustainable and strong.
- Building resilience through networks: Strong advocacy doesn’t rely on one person. By building networks of people, families and professionals, we make sure advocacy continues even when staff or circumstances change.
Learning from Others
We’re proud to stand alongside organisations who’ve been leading the way in self-advocacy and inclusion for years:
- People First, run by and for people with learning disabilities, shows the power of lived experience in action.
- VoiceAbility supports people to make sure their views shape decisions about their care and future.
- Learning Disability England brings people, families and professionals together to campaign with one voice.
- ARC England helps providers share ideas and improve support across the country.
- CHANGE creates Easy Read information and resources with people with learning disabilities, breaking down barriers to understanding and inclusion.
All of them remind us that advocacy works best when people lead the way.
Co-Production on Tour
This November, we’re on the road with our Co-Production on Tour workshops, which celebrate people’s voices, ideas and experiences. We’ll be visiting local areas to share stories, explore what good self-advocacy looks like, and learn from each other.
Together, we can create a future where every person has the power and the platform to be heard. Because when people speak up, change happens. And when we really listen, everyone benefits.
