Personal accounts from volunteers

MARY joined the York Mind Advocacy project this year

‘I got involved with advocacy because I had to get some contact time with clients for a counselling course I’m doing. At first I resented this - I hate being told what to do! But once started it has given me a real boost. It has given me back some confidence in myself, confidence which I’d had before, but it was a while since I’d done any work on behalf of others. I had spent quite a few years being self-indulgent (if you call looking after a 3-year-old self-indulgent: for me it was a great joy!) What has given me so much satisfaction about advocacy is seeing people stand up that bit taller and realise their own strength and resources to deal with truly daunting and demoralising problems. After one or two meetings in which I offered support, encouragement and some ideas - with a strong dose of realism and common sense - I could see my client recovering her own belief in her ability to find a solution. She seemed to be a different person! With another client I have seen the same upsurge of hope and self-belief, even though her problems are far from over and outwardly her situation still looks much the same.’

ROBIN started work as an advocate in July 1999

‘I have been visiting the Retreat as an advocate for nearly a year now. Many of the residents there have been and are likely to remain in a hospital-type environment for a long time. To some, because of the effects of institutionalisation, the concept of advocacy is especially hard to understand. But in fact, without a nationally accepted definition, it seems there are various ideas of advocacy depending on individual background or viewpoint - service user, medical profession, Government etc. As I understand it, an advocate should support and represent, when requested, the views held by their client on the issue in question, empowering the client to achieve their own aims without influencing them in any way. This problem of different perceptions of advocacy cropped up at the Retreat when a psychiatrist who was on a ward I was visiting asked me for my opinion about the mental state of one of the patients. It was beneficial that this incident happened on the ward. Other staff and residents were within hearing distance when I explained that my role didn’t include making this kind of comment. My relationship with one resident changed dramatically after this when she began to trust me, and I believe this was a result of this incident.’

ANTHONY began working with the advocacy project earlier this year

‘I had been looking for a role in which I could be of constructive help to fellow mental health service-users. I had applied (in London and Belfast) to become a psychiatric nurse but met with prejudice on the part of psychiatrists. I contacted Mind in York and was surprised to find out that advocacy was an option as a volunteer. The training was well structured, informative and friendly. It inspired me to meet my first clients. The first was very worried about some problems which had led to time in prison and wanted a specialist examination. I accompanied him to his GP who agreed to make referrals to a specialist and a Community Psychiatric Nurse. My second client was bogged down in the appeal process for incapacity benefit. I thought his original claim had probably not had enough supportive evidence. I went to the Citizens’ Advice Bureau with him for further advice. I look forward to more advocacy and appreciate the support of the Co-ordinator and my fellow advocates. I hope I can continue to find the time to help people going through the kind of distress I know only too well!’