Advocating Partnership
Author: Lois Cameron & Sally Boa
Magazine issue: Spring 09
Page numbers: 8-10
Date: 28 February 2009
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‘Advocacy into Action’ provides independent advocacy services to people with learning disabilities in Clackmannanshire. The group worked in partnership with the AAC Research Unit at Stirling University to find a way to involve people with a learning disability in collecting and giving feedback to advocacy workers. They developed an interview tool, the Advocacy Talking Mat, during a six session training course for 10 people with learning disabilities. Talking Mats is a low tech communication framework involving a textured doormat and set of symbols. The authors describe how they organised the training, the level of involvement and change in participants and the project outcomes. They also consider what extra support may be needed to enable individuals to carry out successful interviews.
