Please note, our advocacy service is currently closed to new cases for now, as our waiting list is full.
Do you need help to have your voice heard or your wishes understood? Are you experiencing barriers when trying to access public services? Our advocacy service can help you!
This free service is for Newham residents aged 65+ (priority given to E6) and requires registration. Due to high demand, you may need to wait for an appointment. We are a small-part time service funded by grants and donations. We will do our best to see as many residents in need as we can.
What is advocacy?
Advocacy means working with another person to help you express your views and wishes.
Working with an advocate is a partnership. We will support you complete tasks that you might otherwise feel you cannot do alone.
With an advocate you will have someone to help you explore your options or rights around a particular situation. We don’t provide specialist advice or personal opinions, but we can help you understand the information available and enable you to make an informed decision.
Advocates can help to empower you to retain independence by accompanying you to meetings and asking questions on your behalf so that you feel fully informed and heard.
Who do we help?
Our advocacy service is for Newham residents aged 65+ (priority given to E6) who need help to make their voice heard and their wishes understood.
If you aren’t sure whether advocacy can help, please contact us anyway. We will ask you for some information during an initial assessment. If we’re not the right service, we’ll do our best to signpost you to a relevant organisation that should be able to help!
What support do we offer?
- Form Filling (unfortunately we cannot cover PIP)
- Assisting you to explore services to improve your wellbeing and reduce loneliness
- Supporting you to feel confident contacting services or attend meetings (where we have capacity).
- Helping you to feel confident using online services
- Benefit Advice through our partner services
- Debt Advice through our FCA regulated debt service
- Online benefit calculation and exploring entitlement to benefits
- Assisting you to organise contacting relevant services and companies after a bereavement – we recognise how stressful this can be.
Sadly, we cannot provide interpretation services and we may need to ask you to bring a friend or family member to appointments.
How can I contact you?
We encourage you to drop in to our Tuesday Over 65s Coffee Morning between 10 am – 12 pm as priority will be given to this route. You will be assessed and, if appropriate, offered an appointment.
Our Coffee Morning is a welcoming, friendly space with free access to the internet, refreshments, and activities! We would love for you to spend some time there before or after your assessment. You do not need to book or pay to stay!
If you are unable to do this, please call 07449 105436 and leave a voicemail including your name, postcode, contact number and briefly what the issue is. You will then receive a call back to set an appointment to register and then a follow up appointment to discuss your case.
What is the process?
- Initial assessment and registration at Coffee Morning (10 minutes)
- First Appointment – please bring all relevant paperwork to this appointment and proof of ID (45-60 minutes). We will agree a personal casework plan – which sets out what we agree to do and what you are required to do
- Follow up appointments as necessary and agreed
Advocacy is a partnership. To continue working on your case we will need you to bring in requested documents and information in a timely manner and to advise us if you are unable to keep appointments.
