Advocacy Western Isles

Advocacy Western Isles is a free, independent charity providing one-to-one, non-instructed and collective advocacy across the Western Isles. We support people to have their voices heard, their rights respected, and their views included in decisions affecting their health, care, housing, employment and access to services. We deliver accessible support through home visits, office appointments, telephone, email, Easy Read and video calls, helping people across our rural island communities overcome barriers linked to distance, access and disadvantage. Through collective forums such as our Speak Out Group, we gather lived experience, influence services and promote a fairer, more accountable system.

Over the past year, Advocacy Western Isles has strengthened and expanded its free, independent advocacy service across the Western Isles, delivering one-to-one and collective advocacy so people are heard, respected and involved in decisions affecting their lives. Following team renewal, a rebrand and islands-wide promotion, referrals and engagement increased significantly. From January 2025 to March 2026, we supported 448 live cases, including 330 referrals, a 90% increase on earlier reliable data. We also grew our Speak Out Group for people with learning difficulties, secured four new funders, created two jobs, and introduced an innovative approach to collective advocacy.