Bridgend 

Community (mental health) advocacy


Community Advocacy is there for those who feel they are being ignored, excluded, unfairly treated, or are not getting the sort of help they think they need


 A Community Advocate will listen to you and help you to express yourself in circumstances where you find it difficult, putting you first and enabling you to have your voice heard and acted upon.

 

Mental Health Advocacy – Non Statutory


The purpose of the Mental Health Advocacy service is to support, strengthen and build resilience of those facing difficulties in understanding their options and rights, hardship, isolation and needing support due to the COVID-19 pandemic thus ensuring their mental ill-health does not deteriorate further resulting in them possibly entering into statutory mental health support services.


Where it will be delivered and by whom


The service will be delivered within the county borough of Bridgend.


Who can Access the service?


The service will primarily be a self-referral service available to anyone who feels their mental health is deteriorating or may have mental health issues where statutory professional support need are not met; The service will also accept referrals from a third party made on behalf of someone thus diverting demand from primary care.

The Mental Health Advocacy service aim to support individuals by:

  • Assist individuals with making difficult or contentious phone calls, i.e. Housing, Benefits, Utilities, and Banking etc.
  • Help individuals in the writing of letters, i.e. regarding Financial and Insurance Ombudsman.
  • Accompany individuals to appointments with doctors, consultants and other healthcare professionals
  • Accompany individuals to appointments with other agencies e.g. Social services or housing
  • Provide support to help individuals when filling out forms
  • Sign post individuals onto other organisations or services when appropriate to do so
  • Helping individuals to understand options available to them through providing advice and information.
  • Support at employer welfare meetings (where employer allows)
  • Support to access other services for example education, training and leisure.
  • To enable as many of these individuals to gain the confidence to self-advocate eventually
  • Providing a befriending service to those who may be socially isolated due to the pandemic


In addition to the above support we will also support individuals by providing information, advice and assistance with:


  • Finance
  • Benefits advice
  • Household Bills
  • Debt
  • Employment
      • Speaking to employers on the individuals behalf
  • Housing Advice
      • Support in maintaining tenancy
      • Disputes with landlords and neighbours
      • Problems sustaining a tenancy
      • Mental health issues (meeting the housing and support needs of those affected by mental health within Bridgend)

 


For more information

Please contact our advocacy department on


                                                          01656 649557

         

                                                          cas@mhmwales.org




Referral

Please note:


This service is only available to Bridgend Residing in the

Bridgend County Borough Footprint    


provided up to 30th September 2021.


This service however has the potential to be extended beyond this period.