Diverse Cymru are delighted to announce a temporary expansion of non-statutory, community advocacy services into Cardiff, having successfully applied to the WCVA Voluntary Services Emergency Fund to work directly with communities in need.

We will support a second qualified Independent Advocate, working with our advocacy manager, to support some of the most vulnerable disabled residents, initially with a phone, email and digital support service. This will provide people in Cardiff with advocacy services specialising in benefits for disabled people (PIP, DLA, ESA), and will include support on other areas such as health and access to services, promoting social inclusion, equality and social justice.

Advocacy Manager Dawn Ashton, said:

“We are delighted to have been successful in our bid to WCVA to fund a new Advocate to work in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan for the next 6 months. This will enable us to increase our support service capacity, and providing increased advocacy services for residents.”

Diverse Cymru has extensive experience in delivering Advocacy services, having delivered our current advocacy service with the Vale of Glamorgan for over 7 years. Our advocacy work has recently been awarded the Advocacy Quality Performance Mark, and our advocacy services are delivered in line with the advocacy charter.

In 2018/19:

  • 100% of service users were satisfied with Diverse Cymru’s service;
  • 83% of service users are financially better off following the work Diverse Cymru has done on their behalf;
  • 74% of service users have received an award or benefit they were not previously receiving; and
  • 100% of service users would recommend Diverse Cymru to others.

When restrictions are eased, we intend to widen this service, and implement a face-to-face drop-in service at our Cardiff office, in addition to the telephone, digital and email service, and our current service for Vale of Glamorgan residents. This project will support disabled adults (including people with mobility, sensory, mental health and learning impairments, and long-term health conditions) living in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan (aged 16+).

This service will open upon recruitment of a second Independent Advocate, as a non-statutory service for disabled residents of Cardiff and the Vale (16+), specialising in benefits for disabled people. For more information, get in touch at info@diverse.cymru.