Voice for people who don’t get heard...

People who give a voice to those who find it hard to speak up for themselves will be explaining their services in Oldham on Friday.

A range of advocates will be at the Link Centre in Union Street, to offer help to people with mental health issues, older people with dementia, and those with learning difficulties.

The day has been organised by Tameside, Oldham and Glossop Mind, with Oldham Personal Advocacy Ltd and Age Concern Oldham, the three main organisations helping people to speak for themselves in Oldham.

Fozia Amin, from Mind, explained that the event is aimed at local people not professionals, and will involve lively interactive sessions, stalls and advice from groups operating in and around Oldham.

She said: “It’s really sad if we come across people in hospital, when if we had been able to speak to them six months earlier, we could have offered simple support.

“We could speak about problems at work with your employer, or if you are struggling with a college course and need to defer it, complain to a supermarket or about council services. It could be as simple as that.”

Camilla Guereca from OPAL, which gives a voice to people over 14 with learning difficulties, added: “It is about having your say and being heard. Sometimes people are speaking out but the people dealing with them aren’t listening. It is understanding what consultation is about, at case conferences for example or at the doctor’s, when there may be a load of jargon people don’t understand.”

Yvonne said older people may have got to a stage when their dementia stops them speaking for themselves, and have no family to describe what their previous lifestyle was.

She added: “For example if they are given care, it may not be appropriate with their previous lives. Advocacy is not about law, as some people think, it is about de-mystifying things.”

The three groups are supported by Oldham Council and NHS Oldham to offer the free one-day conference which starts at 9.30 until 3pm.

But ring to book a place with Mind on 0161-620 0123. OPAL can be contacted on 0161 633-5544, and Age Concern Oldham on 0161-633 0213.