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Group advocacy events

Join online and in-person group advocacy across Scotland.

Group advocacy (also known as collective advocacy) brings people together to share their experiences in powerful ways.

Our group advocacy sessions can support you to come together in a group setting and discuss a problem or issue that affects you. With the support of an advocate, you’ll have the opportunity to have your voice heard, speak about your own personal experiences and interact with people who are facing similar challenges. How you get involved is up to you: sessions will be face to face and online.

By getting involved, you can:

  • Make connections with other people with lived experience
  • Raise awareness of issues which affect you
  • Influence professionals who make decisions that affect everyone

What will group advocacy sessions be about?

Social Security Scotland benefits

You might like to talk about the application process, re-determinations and appeals.

Unpaid carers

You might like to talk about carer’s assessments, housing or dementia.

The issues we discuss will be led by you.

Do you have a topic you’d like to discuss? We’d love to hear from you.

Upcoming events

Low Emission Zones

24 February 10am - 11am on Microsoft Teams

We want to hear unpaid carers’ feedback and experiences with the LEZ restrictions in Edinburgh.

If you would like to be involved, please email groupadvocacyscotland@voiceability.org or call 03003031660 to register your attendance.


Access to Safe Housing

13 February 11am-12:30pm, Gate House on Granton Campus, Edinburgh College, West Granton Road, Edinburgh, EH5 1QE

17 February 3:30pm-5pm via Microsoft Teams

We want to hear unpaid carers’ experience with accessing safe and suitable housing for themselves and the person they care for.

Please note to attend you must be an unpaid carer of someone living in Edinburgh. If you care for a child they must be receiving support from CAMHS.


Power of Attorney and Guardianship

18 February 10am-12pm, The Inkwell, 1 Francis Place, Elgin, IV30 1LQ

Are you an unpaid carer living in Moray? 

Do you want to learn more about Power of Attorney and Guardianship? 

Join our group session to find out more about these processes.


Mental Health for Male Carers

25 February 11am-12:30pm via Microsoft Teams

We want to hear experiences with mental health from male unpaid carers. This could be how caring for someone has impacted their mental health, their experience of accessing mental health services, or sharing their experience of mental health self care.

Please note to attend you must be an unpaid carer of someone living in Edinburgh. If you care for a child they must be receiving support from CAMHS.


Herbert Protocol

27 February 12pm-1pm via Microsoft Teams

If you provide unpaid care for someone who lives in Edinburgh, join our virtual group session to learn more about Herbert Protocol.

What is Herbert Protocol? Who is it for? Why is it helpful?

We will be joined by Police Scotland who will explain how it can help keep the person you care for safe.

New group advocacy sessions in Edinburgh for 2024

This spring, 4 groups ran in each of our localities, Edinburgh South West, South East, North West and North East.

For details of upcoming groups, please email groupadvocacyscotland@voiceability.org or call 0300 303 1660.

Get involved

To register your interest in joining a group advocacy event, find out what’s coming up, or to suggest a discussion topic, please: