SHEP’s Independent Advocacy Programme
SHEP’s Independent Advocacy Programme supports people to understand and exercise their rights. Our work has three main strands:
Independent Advocacy Service
Advocacy Training
Support for Advocacy Networks
Our work is grounded in the principles of independent advocacy, social justice, and human rights. It is informed by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Acts.
Independent Advocacy Service
We provide Independent Group Advocacy Facilitation in residential and community settings. We work with adults with disabilities and older people
Our primary focus has shifted to group advocacy since 2019, supporting people to come together, identify shared concerns, and take collective action. While one-to-one advocacy has become more professionalised in recent years, group advocacy has often been overlooked. We believe group advocacy builds confidence, strengthens collective voice, and creates lasting change.
This approach reflects SHEP’s strong community development ethos. We build capacity through experiential learning and group work.
Independent Advocacy Training
As part of our training programme, we offer a range of advocacy courses designed to build knowledge, skills and confidence for self advocates and professionals where advocacy practice is part of their role.
Introduction to Advocacy Course
Our Introduction to Advocacy Course is aimed at people who would like to develop their understanding of advocacy and advocacy skills. This SHEP-certified course provides a strong foundation in independent advocacy principles and practice and is informed by human rights frameworks, including the UNCRPD and the Assisted Decision Making Acts.
Please note: We are not running this course in 2026.
Self-Advocacy Courses
We offer self-advocacy courses that support people to understand their rights, build confidence, and speak up for themselves.
Bespoke Training and Workshops
We also provide tailored advocacy training and workshops designed in response to specific group requests. These sessions are developed collaboratively to meet the particular needs and context of each group.
Supporting Advocacy Networks
We support and connect advocacy networks that are committed to social justice and human rights. This work includes involvement in initiatives such as:
The Our Rights and Medication Advocacy Network www.ourrightsandmedication.ie
The Independent Advocacy Gathering
Through collaboration and partnership, we strengthen collective advocacy and promote the upholding of human rights and systemic change.
Independent Advocacy Gathering 2026
Our 2026 Independent Advocacy Gathering is about independent advocates, self advocates and supporters of independent advocacy, coming together to explore human rights issues affecting people with disabilities. The day is about learning from each other, connecting, and sharing our experiences, knowledge and skills.
The 2026 gathering looks at: decongregation; moving out of institutions and into ordinary homes in the community, medication rights and independent advocacy.
To learn more, here is the event guide for the 2026 Independent Advocacy Gathering:
Independent Advocacy Gathering Guide 2026
https://socialandhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/PRINT-Independent-Advocacy-Gathering-2026-Event-Guide-final-V2.pdfhttps://socialandhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/PRINT-Independent-Advocacy-Gathering-2026-Event-Guide-final-V2.pdf
For further information please contact: Marge Lysaght, Advocacy Co-ordinator on (021) 4666180 or email marge.lysaght@socialandhealth.com
A SHEP Advocacy Programme Publication: The Role of Independent Group Advocacy in Decongregation (2025)
This report documents seven years of independent advocacy by the SHEP Independent Advocacy Service (SIAS) supporting a group of women through the closure of a long-term institutional residence in Cork. Following a 2016 HIQA finding of serious non-compliance and financial irregularities, SIAS worked alongside the women to ensure their voices, rights, and choices were central to the decongregation process. Advocates built trust and addressed systemic issues including financial abuse, poor living conditions, and systemic challenges. The women developed a Charter of Rights and were empowered to self-advocate during their transition to community living, completed in December 2023. The report highlights the vital role of independent, adequately funded, advocacy plays in safeguarding rights and influencing cultural change.
A SHEP Advocacy Report: The Role of Group Advocacy in Decongregation (2025)
A SHEP Advocacy Report: The Role of Group Advocacy in Decongregation (2025), Easy to Read
History of Advocacy
SHEP has been involved in advocacy since the year 2000 and was to the forefront in the development of advocacy for older people through a project called Cork Older Peoples Advocacy Service. A defining feature of SHEP’s model of advocacy has been pioneering the training and deployment of advocates in both volunteer and contracted capacities from the context and experience of active involvement in this work.
We participated very successfully in the pilot Advocacy Project for People with Disabilities which was funded by the Citizen Information Board (CIB). This allowed SHEP to offer a high level of representative advocacy through a full-time professional advocate between 2008 and 2010
Since 2010 SHEP Advocates have been deployed to support people facing the challenges of de-congregation (the closing of larger institutions and the shift to supported living in the community). SHEP has also deployed advocates to provide advocacy for older people in residential settings consisting of regular visits to Nursing Homes providing them with group and individual advocacy.
Our intention since 2021 is to:
extend our work in facilitating independent advocacy groups in settings for adults with disabilities and
develop training opportunities in advocacy to include, self, peer, group and representative advocacy.
Currently the SHEP Advocacy Programme is delivered by a small team of advocates who have completed the SHEP Introduction to Advocacy course. Consideration is also given to prior learning and experience where people are interested in this work and who have not yet completed the SHEP Introduction to Advocacy course.
The work can include:
- Involvement in particular advocacy activities e.g. The Our Rights and Medication Advocacy Group, the Independent Advocacy Gathering.
- Independent Group Advocacy Facilitation in residential and community settings that serve adults with disabilities including older people in nursing homes and people using mental health services.
- The development and co-facilitation of courses and workshops that focus on all elements of advocacy e.g. self, peer, group and representative advocacy.
- Attending SHEP Advocacy Project team meetings where we meet regularly to share learning and develop the work of the project.
- Helping out with the administrative tasks of the Advocacy Project
- Some one to one independent advocacy support may also be provided to disabled people who are struggling to get their voice heard and the rights respected with signposting to other independent advocacy services where necessary.
To support the Advocacy team SHEP provides supervision, garda clearance, and on-going support and guidance from SHEP’s Advocacy Co-ordinator.[/fusion_tab]
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