Independent Advocacy North East - IANE

IANE provides a range of advocacy services, we focus our work with people living in or belonging to North Tyneside and the surrounding areas. We work to empower vulnerable people to have their voices heard, to be properly involved in their own care, to have information about their rights and to access the services they need. We aim to continuously deliver high quality services that are accessible,

responsive and appropriate to the diverse needs of different groups. Our mission statement is: “To enable the voices of vulnerable people to be heard through the provision of a range of independent advocacy services, tailored to the needs of individuals.”

We currently facilitate the following projects: Learning Disability, Physical Disability, Mental Health, Dementia, Independent Mental Health Advocacy and Black and Minority Ethnic. Advocacy is providing the support someone needs to be able to express their views, to communicate their choices and to receive services or to participate in decision making. It can enable people to take more responsibility, have choice and control over the decisions which affect their lives. Advocacy is not new. It is something which many people do without realizing it. You probably had to stand up for your rights at some time in your life. As a parent, neighbour or friend you may have spoken up or acted on behalf of someone else. What is new is that advocacy is happening in a more organized way to make sure that people who may face unfair treatment can get independent support. "If you can remember times when you have been ignored, excluded or treated unfairly, then you will know how important it is to be able to stand up for yourself or to have someone take your side"