Our Advocacy service provides one-on-one support in 12+ community languages for people facing complex challenges. We assist people with no recourse to public funds, those experiencing homelessness, dealing with mental health issues, living with disabilities, coping with bereavement, carers, refugees, asylum seekers, and more. Our service helps people access benefits and entitlements, secure specialist support, address housing issues, access healthcare services, and respond to safeguarding concerns in collaboration with social care services.

 

“So many places pushed me away but Manor Gardens helped me with my disability.”

 

We have two Independent Domestic Violence Advocates (IDVAs) that work with people experiencing domestic abuse to secure their safety. We also offer specialist advocacy for survivors of FGM and provide crisis grants to help clients overcome urgent challenges, such as moving to safety from domestic abuse or purchasing essentials for those in poverty.

 

We focus on empowering our clients to self-advocate, develop their understanding of their rights and entitlements, navigate services, and build independence. Our service follows a trauma-informed practice, ensuring that support is empathetic and sensitive to the experiences of our clients. Many of our bilingual advocates have lived experience of the issues we address, such as navigating the asylum system, fleeing domestic violence, and surviving FGM, which enhances their ability to provide effective support.

 

During 2023 – 24, our Advocacy service supported 910 clients, 76% of whom were from black and minoritized backgrounds and all relied on welfare benefits.

 

A number of referrals to our Advocacy service come from Adult Social Care, who commissioned an external evaluation of our service by Basis consultancy in 2024. The evaluation found that 68% of clients who accessed our support did not have to go back to social care and 90% of clients would recommend our service to other people experiencing similar issues. Outcomes captured from our own evaluation include a 60% increase in independence and 88% increase in mental wellbeing.