Advocacy can mean different things to different people, depending on experiences and understanding. Many think it is only to do with complaints; this is not always the case. Others think it is advice; while advocacy may sometimes include some advice, it is more about listening and ensuring the views of children and young people are heard regardless if the advocate agrees or not. Advocacy is a process which helps someone to speak up for themselves, to access information and their rights and entitlements, and to get something stopped, started or changed.
The “Youth Advocacy” Project addresses the problems, experienced by many young people, that may best be described as ‘access to services, such as healthcare, legal provision, housing and education’. We anticipate that there will be approximately 60 direct beneficiaries each year, for the 2 years of the project, all of whom will be Somali asylum seekers or refugees aged 15 – 21.
Funded by the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund.