Developing an effective professional advocacy workforce to support seniors' rights

Abstract

The Project This project explored advocacy professional development and the skills, competencies, and training required to work as an effective advocate for the Older Person’s Advocacy Network (OPAN).

What is Advocacy? Advocacy is a process of standing up for the rights of another person, or yourself. An advocate generally promotes the rights or best interests of another person or group, and many professions act as advocates in the course of their work, including lawyers, human service workers, and union officials [1].

Why is Advocacy important? Advocacy is important for people who are potentially vulnerable in our society, including older people, people with disabilities and their carers. It has strong links with the human rights movement and the concept of empowerment, as empowerment is associated with relationships of unequal power and powerlessness [2]. It aims to increase control over goods and services, overcome barriers that restrict opportunities, ensure appropriate societal and service deliver responses, protect human rights, ensure a better quality of life, emphasise individual needs and wishes, challenge stereotypes and stigma, and aim for empowerment of disadvantaged individuals and groups [3]. Advocacy aims to build the capacity of individuals and communities to solve their own problems, empowering them and reducing the need for service intervention [4].

Methodology The mixed-method research design included a scoping literature review, six focus groups with 41 OPAN advocates around Australia, and an online workforce survey (Curtin Human Research Ethics Committee approval HRE2019-0098).