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Networking

Familiarity through networking assists consumers open up

Networking with a health provider leads to education

Opportunity for training on the Code

Making a difference through networking

Assistance for social worker

Establishing a network of local advocates

Networking Chatham Islands Style

Networking in residential homes

Using the CAB as an established information hub

Working within a local interest focused network

 

 

 

 

 

 

Familiarity through networking assists consumers open up

An advocate was invited to attend an activity centre to provide an education session for a group with dual diagnosis.

There was effective interaction between the residents and great interest shown in the discussion. The consumers were very clear that they were happy with their current provider but were open and honest about past experiences and challenges they face with getting appointments. The session was very interactive and the group showed a level of trust in their discussions which has come about as a result of regular similar sessions.

Those who had current concerns were encouraged to discuss these with the advocate outside of the education forum.

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Networking with a Health Provider leads to Education

An advocate spoke to a health provider at a DHB about general issues that refugee and some migrant communities face in NZ, such as culture, discrimination, communication, consent, family relationships. The advocate linked each of these to the Code.

Following their conversation the advocate was invited to provide three education sessions in other departments who in turn referred her to other hospital departments.

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Opportunity for training on the Code

Prompted by the mention of the Code of Rights poster that had been put up the year before, the manager of a service mentioned to an advocate that she was president of a nationwide organisation. This led to a conversation about how the Advocacy service and the Code could be promoted to the membership groups using local advocates.  They worked on a strategy that would see Advocacy providing both local and regional training packages.

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Making a difference through networking

Members from the migrant/refugee community were invited by the local advocate, in a provincial town, to meet the regional Refugee/Migrant Advocate. The focus of the discussion was to be on the rights in the Code as well as the role of an advocate. However, as the meeting discussions flowed it became apparent that the community also required support and information in relation to their cultural values and beliefs.

One of the gaps in their information was the need to find out the name of any local butchers who provided Halal meat in the region as consumers from their area were travelling over six hours to a major city to purchase their meat. Through her networks, the local advocate was able to find out where Halal meat was available in the area, and passed on contact details and the location of where it could be purchased.

This small action taken by the advocate has done much to create trust between this community and the advocacy service.

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Assistance for social worker

Complex disability ~ Social worker ~ Service coordination ~ Cooperation between providers ~ Advocate mentor

During a network meeting an advocate was approached by a social worker regarding a consumer he was working with who had multiple chronic conditions, and was involved with a number of providers and community support agencies.

The social worker expressed concern about the lack of cooperation between the providers and the difficulties this created for the consumer.  

The advocate provided information to the social worker on Rights in the Code that could help the situation, and was available in a mentoring role when contacted by the social worker as further issues arose.

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Establishing a network of local advocates

Assertive networking ~ Service improvement ~ Shared learning ~ Local advocates ~ Reflection

The local health and disability advocates had been fielding requests for training and support from other advocates working with local community agencies.

A meeting was organised with four key advocates working in agencies who believed the standard of advocacy practice could improve if there was appropriate training and support. These advocates expressed concern about the quality of the advocacy they saw being practiced by colleagues in the community and that it was based on confrontation. The group believed the solution lay with the local advocates and that change would occur if various alternative approaches to advocacy were demonstrated. The group called a meeting, advertising it as a lunchtime event at a local church hall.

The opportunity to meet was greeted with enthusiasm and a large number of advocates turned up on the day. Following a brief introduction about the purpose of the meeting the local health and disability advocate presented an overview of the consumer-driven, strengths-based empowerment model of advocacy that the health and disability advocacy service use, including the outcomes for consumers.

The proposal from the meeting was to setup a network, called a forum. Those present agreed to meet bi-monthly to reflect on the various approaches to advocacy that were being used.

After two years the meetings still continue. They cover health, education, welfare, housing and income. The local health and disability advocate only attends sporadically as is often out of the city when the meetings are held. The network continues to provide an opportunity for reflection, learning and sharing in a way that helps consumers to receive a more effective service.

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Networking Chatham Islands Style

Network development ~ Chatham Islands ~ Remote location ~ Local contacts

Networking on an offshore island can be a challenge particularly when the island is not easily accessed. Being an annual and expensive trip it requires careful preparation by the advocate. Over and above getting there, sorting out where to stay, setting up meetings and knowing where to advertise the coming visit, she had to ensure that when she got there she would be accepted by the islanders, and that they would be interested in her message.

The advocate started with her own personal networks, phoning all the people she knew on the island asking for their assistance and advice. Some of these people set up meetings for the advocate to meet and greet the locals. The local newspaper inserted an article on the service and advertised the pending visit. The hospital was contacted and arrangements to meet key personnel were scheduled.

Once on the Island the advocate visited as many of the local people as she could so she would be well known and remembered as the person to contact on the mainland. She searched out key people who would further facilitate access to local groups. She listened to consumer issues; assisting them to take up these issues in ways that could bring about changes to health and disability services. 

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Networking in residential homes

Assertive networking ~ Residential disability home ~ Tailored message ~ Respectful contact

Residential homes for those with significant impairments have their own culture and power structures. The residents tend not to accept outsiders unless they are people they believe they can trust and feel safe to speak with.

When the health and disability advocate first visited a small community house of five people, an arrangement to visit was made in advance.  On arrival, the advocate acknowledged the staff, and sought their assistance to greet each of the residents individually using first names, taking an opportunity to express interest in each person and discussing something of specific interest to them.  This also involved accepting a cup of tea as a sign of hospitality.

The next time the advocate returned, it was timely so the residents could remember the previous visit. More information was shared which helped establish a relationship with each of the residents. The advocate was gradually absorbed into the network of the house as someone who is safe to speak to. In the meantime the link with the staff was strengthened so they in turn would support each resident having links with the advocate.

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Using the CAB as an established information hub

Strategic networking ~ CAB ~ Information resource ~ Training volunteers  ~ Regular contact

Recognising the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) as a key information hub in the local town, the local health and disability advocate sought out an opportunity to be included in the information resource provided by the local CAB volunteers. Having visited the local CAB offices the advocate sought out the name and location of the regional trainers and arranged to attend their next meeting to describe the role of the advocate and how to contact an advocate.

The advocate keeps in regular contact with the CAB offices, dropping in to check there are leaflets available, and to talk over any issues the staff have. The CAB continues to refer a steady number of consumers to the advocacy service. 

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Working within a local interest focused network

Strategic networking ~ Alcohol and drug workers ~ Established network ~ Highlighting rights

The workers in the local alcohol and drug services have a well established network of people and agencies who meet on a regular basis to share information, changes in service and generally to support each other. It is a long meeting but every person attending has an opportunity to share information and to raise issues.

The local health and disability advocate attends and uses this opportunity to be proactive in raising consumer rights issues, as well as responding to questions and observations made by other attendees. It is an opportunity to harness local commitment to the promotion of consumer rights, and for the workers to remind consumers experiencing difficulties of the existence of the advocates.