Our Mission

DIAS was set-up in 1998 with funding by Dundee City Council Social Work department and the NHS to provide high-quality, user-driven independent advocacy services.
Since then, we have helped thousands people in the Dundee area use their voice to make decisions about their lives and wellbeing,
ensuring that they are treated with dignity and respect throughout the process.

There are various different ways to provide advocacy. The main services
we provide are citizen advocacy, professional advocacy, collective advocacy
and group advocacy. Although there’s no ‘one size fits all’, all of our services
fall under the term ‘independent advocacy’ as they abide by the following
FOUR PRINCIPLES:

ACCOUNTABLE

We are answerable to our service users and funders and provide support fairly and transparently.

FREE FROM CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Listening to and respecting our users’ wishes is of the utmost importance to us. This is why we operate separately from other types of services.

ACCESSIBLE

We aim to help people who need it quickly and sensitively, without unnecessary barriers or restrictions.

PUTS USERS FIRST

We provide information and advice based on what YOU want, rather than what others think you want, remaining loyal to your decisions and wishes.

OUR PROMISE

We promise to promote social inclusion, equality and social justice by supporting individuals to say what they want, to secure their rights and to represent their interests when they are unable to do so themselves.

To ensure we provide a fair and quality service to the most vulnerable groups in our communities, we operate within a defined set of Standards and Principles that form our Code of Practice.

We are members of the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA), which promotes, supports and defends the principles and practice of Independent Advocacy across Scotland. To find out more, visit the SIAA website http://www.siaa.org.uk/

TYPES OF ADVOCACIES

Dundee Independent Advocacy Support endeavours to provide the highest standards of independent advocacy services and information by ensuring

CITIZEN ADVOCACY

This is our main advocacy model. The role of a Citizen Advocate is to provide one-to-one support to the people who need it most, listening to their point of view and ensuring their wishes are respected in any given situation. Citizen Advocates at DIAS are ordinarily members of the public who - after undergoing training - are partnered with vulnerable people from the local community, oftentimes with very complex needs.

COLLECTIVE ADVOCACY SESSIONS

PROFESSIONAL ADVOCACY

PEER ADVOCACY GROUP

Our Peer Advocates work with individuals on a one-to-one basis (similar to our Citizen Advocates) to help them build their confidence and assertiveness. Through empathy, understanding and sharing their own life experiences, they can help increase their partner’s self-awareness and ability to deal with issues themselves. A Peer Advocate will provide continued support until their partners feel able to progress on their own i.e. ‘self-advocacy’.

DONATE NOW With your donations you can help DIAS reach more people and make a bigger impact!

VOLUNTEER Volunteering is hugely rewarding. Make a difference in your local community!

TESTIMONIALS

I was completely lost. I didn’t know what to do with myself and I felt like there was a great dark cloud over me. I don’t feel like that now. I have a great life now
Advocacy Client

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