Background

The North Wales Advice and Advocacy Association was set up in 1989 following an expansion of activity from its original base at Bryn y Neaudd and its work in the resettlement programme.

The late R Gwynne Davies was influential in the development of Advocacy Services. His insight and commitment inspired and ensured the continuing development of the service, which by this time had moved into the community and provided a much needed means by which individuals with a learning disability, were able to have a voice

These early developments soon led to the acquisition of funding from the National Lottery to establish localised Self Advocacy Groups across three counties. This work formed the building blocks for future developments as the Service underwent a period of expansion as the value of advocacy became more widely acknowledged.

Since then the service has expanded its geographical area of work to Conwy, Gwynedd and Ynyn Mon and now in Flintshire. The Association is now providing advocacy across a number of adult service user areas, specifically learning disability, mental health, adults facing social disadvantage and their carers, physical disability and sensory impairment. The association is also working in the Forensic Psychiatric area, Psychiatric Rehabilitation and IMCA.(Independent Mental Capacity Advocate)

The Association has also developed Person Centred Planning for people involved in moving out from Bryn y Neaudd long stay Hospital. The PCP approach is used in every day working practice. This approach will be used to develop the outcome star approach. This enables the Association to monitor outcomes for people who have received an advocacy service.