Advocacy

Wish has been delivering services to women in secure services for more than two decades, and our experience of working specifically with women has shown that generic advocacy services do not meet women’s needs. They were not designed with women in mind and, as a result, women find them more difficult to access.

We set out to finally give women a voice and provide information about the things that matter to them. Our Gender Specific Advocacy makes sure that all treatment, care and personal issues are addressed appropriately and sensitively. It is designed specifically to engage women who do not feel they have a voice, or find it difficult to assert their needs and views.  We place great emphasis on the building of consistent and reliable relationships with individuals. It is paramount that women are as in control of the advocacy input as possible. Privacy and confidentiality are equally essential to the advocacy service.

How Wish Advocacy Service works

The ultimate aim of the Wish Advocacy Service is to equip and empower women to self-advocate. The work that advocates do on the wards is directed by the women. Wish works to give the level of support each individual needs, whilst maximising their opportunities to speak for themselves. There are three parts to our unique service:

1. Relationship Building

Trust is a vital part of advocacy, and may take time to establish.  Our advocates spend time building relationships with women before beginning the advocacy process.

2. One-to-one Issue Based Advocacy

Advocates work with women to identify and explore issues, evaluate options and implement solutions.  Women are supported to make and execute informed decisions, including by representation where necessary.

3. Self Advocacy Support

Advocates assess how confident and able women are to speak for themselves on various issues. The obstacles that women identify will be addressed, e.g. through provision of resources, information, skills training, administration and signposting.

Wider Wish

"Wider Wish" is the campaigning side of the organisation. Issues that become apparent to the advocate but are not raised by the women can be directed to Wider Wish for general discussion.  For more information on this aspect of Wish's work, please visit the Campaigning section of this website.

Wish advocates currently visit the following units:

London & South

• Alpha, Woking
• Atlas House, London
• Bracton Centre, Dartford
• HMP Holloway, London
• St. Paul's, Colchester
• The Orchard, Ealing

Midlands & North

• Alpha Hospital, Bury
• Alpha Hospital, Sheffield
• Cheadle Royal Hospital, Cheadle
• Jigsaw Hospital, Didsbury

To find out more about Wish Gender Specific Advocacy, please contact the Wish office that covers your area.