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.