The Gaddum Centre, in partnership with Better Things (formerly Manchester Mencap), has been working hard to put in place arrangements to launch the Manchester Advocacy Hub in April. They are working to a comprehensive Hub Implementation Plan, which is reviewed and updated weekly in consultation with Manchester City Council Commissioner Paul Johnston and would like to report to you on the following progress made to date:
Staffing
The hub will be joined by eight new colleagues who are being TUPE transferred from Rethink and Care and Repair. Two Development Days have taken place on 30 and 31 March. Lots of work has also taken place at Gaddum Centre, to reorganise the offices to accommodate the bigger advocacy team and to make sure the Hub’s new office space will be ready for the team to hit the ground running and receive new referrals.
Advocacy Steering Group
Gaddum Centre has attended the first two meetings of the multi-agency Advocacy Steering Group, which will guide the development of the Hub, to discuss progress and inform future planning. They have also been liaising with the DOLS Team to discuss referral, reporting and monitoring processes.
Referrals/Contact
Referral forms have been put together to ensure that any referral for statutory advocacy from a professional is allocated to an appropriately qualified advocate without delay.
A telephone line and email account has been set up for referrals for any of the statutory advocacy pathways from professionals. Telephone: 0161 214 3904
Email: [email protected]
Work is beginning on the secondary function of the Hub – to provide advice, information and support materials for those ineligible for statutory advocacy support.
A website developer has been appointed to work with the team to produce a Manchester Advocacy Hub website.
For further information, contact Lynne Stafford, Chief Executive Gaddum Centre, on [email protected] or Paul Johnston, Manchester City Council, on [email protected]