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 Writing: Kay Teehan

Grassroots

The Irish Advocacy Network delivers a Peer Advocacy Service. We aim to provide information, support and choice for those who have experienced difficulties with their mental health and well-being. The Irish Advocacy Network is an all-Ireland organisation, wholly user run and user led, working independently within the mental health service.

In order to achieve our aims we are engaged in a variety of activities that include the provision of a range of services, contributing to the Mental Health Reviews North and South, influencing policy, legislation and service provision and liaising with statutory bodies, voluntary
organisations and mental health professionals.

We receive funding from the HSE and we have Regional Advocates appointed in every HSE region. The Irish Advocacy Network has promoted a purely service user agenda and with increasing levels of awareness and acceptance of the need for our service, demand is
continuously growing and recruitment is increasing.

In view of this it is very important that each and every member of IAN’s staff has etched into their memory why this organisation was originally formed and return to our grassroots. A quote which we often have referred to as a reminder is ‘A society is judged on its treatment of its most vulnerable citizens’

Keeping this ethos to the forefront of our operation we need to continue to support service users by way of providing a listening ear, letting people know they are not alone, supporting them in identifying their own needs, making their own wishes known, providing information and support and always taking the lead from the service user who is most importantly at the centre of what we are about.

Whilst we need to remain focused on service user empowerment we aim to continue to develop our policies and training around service users needs and be open to adapting these as needs change and also to become involved in projects and initiatives to support these and in order to perform to our optimum level in supporting service users needs.