Total Voice Lincolnshire A county-wide Advocacy and Involvement Service for the People of Lincolnshire

Who provides the Total Voice service? Speaking Up is an award winning charity that provides advocacy services to vulnerable people across several counties. Speaking Up has been providing advocacy services in Lincolnshire since On the 1 st April 2010, Speaking Up merged with another charity called Advocacy Partners. Following the merger, we are now known as Advocacy Partners Speaking Up (although this will change!). Since the merger, we have become the largest advocacy organisation in the country. Advocacy Partners Speaking Up have entered into a partnership with The Healthy Hub to deliver the Total Voice project. The Healthy Hub is delivering part of the Involvement side of the project.

What is Total Voice? Innovative new contract commissioned by Lincolnshire County Council – first of its kind! Started on 1 st April Free, independent and confidential. Provider of Advocacy and Involvement services in Lincolnshire. Easier to refer – we will work out what sort of Advocacy or Involvement is required, you just need to contact us. Movement between Involvement and Advocacy that has not been possible before.

What is Advocacy? Supporting and empowering people who don’t feel they are being listened to or don’t feel confident raising issues themselves. Supporting people to understand their rights and explore their options. Helping people to access support or services. Supporting people to raise complaints or challenge decisions. Total Voice provides different types of advocacy support:  IMCA  IMHA  Community Advocacy  Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards  Paid Representatives

What is Involvement? Total Voice has an innovative new Involvement project through which user groups can have a voice and influence the services that they receive. Involvement is about people who use services having a real say on the services they need to enable them to live the lives they choose. Nobody is better placed to help improve services than the people who use them. Our Involvement project gives people the opportunity to work with their peers on common issues, creating a stronger voice that cannot be ignored. Involvement is about people who use services and professionals working together as equal partners to create solutions to issues and develop services that really work for the people that use them Total Voice Involvement can work with anyone who has accessed services supporting:  People with mental ill health  People with a learning disability  People with physical disabilities and/or sensory impairments.

Examples of Advocacy/Involvement scenarios This is Paula Paula lives in sheltered accommodation. She has become increasingly unhappy with the care she receives and wants to live more independently.

This is Kathryn Kathryn has a severe visual impairment and feels that she is not accessing all the services she may be entitled to. She wants more control of her life but is not sure of all of her options.

This is Betina Betina has received some forms from the Benefits Agency. She has requested that an advocate fills in some forms for her. Examples of scenarios that are not appropriate for advocacy

This is Steve Staff in the care facility that Steve lives have asked if an advocate can come and help him make a will.

Total Voice Qualifying Criteria Anyone in Lincolnshire over the age of 18 who is accessing health or social care services and has:  Mental Health issues  Learning disabilities  Physical disabilities and/or sensory impairments Anyone over the age of 16 who is a carer for someone meeting the above criteria, or is part of a user group. Anyone meeting the criteria for statutory advocacy services

How to contact Total Voice General Enquiries: Referrals: Address: 5 Saxilby Enterprise Park, Skellingthorpe Road, Saxilby, Lincoln, LN1 2LR.