Advocacy Safety Net

Advocacy Safety Net for Adults in Hampshire

Help to get the right support and services

We aim to provide advocacy support to as many vulnerable children, young people and adults as possible throughout Hampshire. From April 2024, due to limited funding our focus is on people in Basingstoke and Hart & Rushmoor with a learning disability, autism or other neuro diverse conditions, and people with communication difficulties.

What will we do?

From April 2024, due to limited funding our focus is on people in Basingstoke and Hart & Rushmoor areas of Hampshire with a learning disability, autism or other neuro diverse conditions, and people with communication difficulties. We can offer advocacy support if you are finding it hard to access the right care and support either because you fall in between gaps in services or there are barriers in the way of you getting the help you need, including with employment retention. We meet with you in person or virtually and listen, work out what you need help with and support you to access the right support and service. This can include signposting to local organisations, requesting that organisations make reasonable adjustments as well as attending meetings with you. Click here to view a short film about the difference this project is making to people in Hampshire.

Who can make referrals?

We can take referrals directly from people and their families – you can call, email or text us as well as contacting us through the website. Professionals and services working with people who are struggling to engage can also make referrals through the website. We will check all referrals for eligibility to the Hampshire commissioned advocacy service and if necessary help you access this service. Where we have limited funding for this project, we will try and signpost you to at least one local organisation.

Watch this video

What People Think of us...

“Being part of the self advocacy groups has really helped me settle into Basingstoke after moving here a year ago.”

Person with a learning disability

“Thanks for confirming [the referral]. To reiterate what I said in my last email, the service provided so far from Speakeasy has been very helpful and much appreciated.”

Local Authority DOLS office

The weight loss charts the advocate did with me have helped me eat the right foods. It’s made a real difference to my life I have never felt so happy. It’s stopped me going back to the dark place (self harm).”

Person with a learning disability

“Thanks for your quick response. I rang the family to say I had made the referral and they said the advocate was seeing them the next day!”

HCC social work team manager

“I have heard such great things about your Advocacy Safety Net Project from the Social Prescribers, it will be such a shame if it can’t continue”

Primary Care Network Wellbeing Team

“Without you I am not sure where I could have gone, or what would have happened”

Family Carer Of Person With Autism And Mental Health Issues

‘Thank you for all your support with K as I haven’t a clue where to start with finding employment opportunities and helping them become more independent, I am struggling with day to day issues that K presents’.

Family carer of person with a learning disability

“Thank you so much for persevering with us, we really appreciate you checking in with us over a period of time. So many other services are quick to ‘close your case’ and you have to chase them up”

Family carer of person with learning disability

“Thank you very much for all your time, effort and support; it has meant a lot and helped me immensely.”

Person with autism needing support to get help from Citizen’s Advice and the DWP to challenge their PIP decision

Many thanks for all your help and support with all our patients that we have referred to you and I hope that Speakeasy are able to get hold of some more funds as your services are amazing.’

Social Prescriber from GP surgery

“I am impressed with how much you have achieved for people living in the Hart & Rushmoor area, I’m surprised what you have done with a small team! Amazing work unpicking the issues that others didn’t understand or have time to explore”

HCC service development officer

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