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Sage Advocacy’s mission is to promote, protect and safeguard the rights and dignity of older people, vulnerable adults, and healthcare patients through individual and systemic advocacy. Sage provided information, support and advocacy services to more than 12,000 people (cases & queries) in 2024 and demand for its services is growing. The work of Sage on behalf of clients is independent of family, service provider or systems interests. The service is free of charge and confidential. Further information on the organisation and those we serve is available at sageadvocacy.ie. 

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Development of Courses for Independent Advocacy

Call for Expressions of Interest

Sage Advocacy is inviting expressions of interest from individual academics and Higher Education Institutions to engage with us regarding the development of recognised courses in Independent Advocacy and related areas. 

Sage is the National Advocacy Service for Older People & Survivors of Institutional Abuse. It provides a continuum of services including information, support, advocacy, safeguarding and systems and policy development. Sage is a ‘go to’ organisation with regard to issues related to Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) legislation and has a reputation of ‘going the extra mile’ on behalf of clients. We collaborate where possible and we challenge when necessary.

Sage published Quality Standards for Support & Advocacy Work with Older People in 2015 and has recently published a discussion paper which considers options for regulation of the emerging practice of independent advocacy. It will shortly publish a detailed study of the ‘value added’ for clients and service providing systems arising from its work and the social return on investment which this work provides.

Conscious of the need for wider workforce preparedness across the independent advocacy sector in response to policy and legislative developments Sage is now interested in the development of courses that would provide recognised qualifications for people working in our fields of experience; work which is often complex and challenging. 

The main areas of interest cover the provision of Information, Support, Advocacy and Safeguarding services.  Focus areas include: Public Services – Social Housing, Social Care, Public Health; Adult Safeguarding – Law, Policy and Practice; Dementia, Cognitive Impairment and Advocacy Practice; Patient Complaints Advocacy & Healthcare Systems; Congregated Care Environments – Nursing Homes, Disability & Mental Health Services; Financial Abuse, Coercive Control and Care-Related Legal and Rights Issues; Survivors of Institutional Abuse and Trauma Informed Skills; Conflict Management, Mediation, Influencing, Negotiation; Consent, Assisted Decision Making Legislation and Practice.

Sage envisages that courses covering these indicative areas could be the foundation for degree courses, enabling experienced practitioners to develop analytical and leadership capabilities.

Expressions of Interest are now invited from individual academics and Higher Education Institutions to work with Sage in the development of a range of courses. Informal enquiries and discussions can also be initiated by contacting mervynr.taylor@sageadvocacy.ie or +353 86 8227998.

Submission Deadline: Expressions of Interest should be submitted by 21st August to procurement@sageadvocacy.ie

Access details above in the PDF here.

Nothing about you / without you         

Faic fút féin / gan tú féin