advocacyblog.blogspot.com
Advocacy Blog: Street Angels in Wakefield
http://advocacyblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/street-angels-in-wakefield.html
Independent Thinking about Independent Advocacy. Street Angels in Wakefield. I was part of an interesting experiment last weekend, volunteering to be a Street Angel. On their first weekend in Wakefield. And recycling, they were looking for a practical project that could make a real difference with a low investment through partnership working. I'm going on a bit here, but it's my blog and I'll ramble if I want to. My reflections are going to get too metaphysical if I'm not careful, and I will try to expla...
advocacyblog.blogspot.com
Advocacy Blog: An advocate's winter menu
http://advocacyblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/advocates-winter-menu.html
Independent Thinking about Independent Advocacy. An advocate's winter menu. I've just spent a thoroughly enjoyable day cooking, something I should do more of really. I do regularly cook for myself, almost always from fresh ingredients, and I try to be good to the environment as well as my body (although I do have quite a few bad habits.). Anyway today's food was a bit special and unusual, and hopefully I will be able to make your mouth water as you read about what we ate:. Organic italian brown rice.
advocacyblog.blogspot.com
Advocacy Blog: Relationships
http://advocacyblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/relationships.html
Independent Thinking about Independent Advocacy. I agreed in an article for Planet Advocacy ( March 2005, pp.10-11. That advocacy was all about 'relationships, drama and expression'. Very often today as soon as we start to think about relationships in a professional context alarm bells start to ring: there have been so many scandals and abuses of trust that professional relationships are clearly prescribed and objectified - in particular they must be objective and dispassionate. All I'm going to do in th...
advocacyblog.blogspot.com
Advocacy Blog: Don't write everything...
http://advocacyblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/dont-write-everything.html
Independent Thinking about Independent Advocacy. I met a social worker from another town. Seems like she challenges expected practice. Had a nice chat with her. One thing that stuck out. She was asked to do a social circumstances report for a. These two small problems combine into one big problem: the guesses people make with the best of intentions then become the 'truth' that can dog the patient for years to come. Another way of saying what I'm trying to say: when we work with people with mental health ...
advocacyblog.blogspot.com
Advocacy Blog: A different way of thinking
http://advocacyblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/different-way-of-thinking.html
Independent Thinking about Independent Advocacy. A different way of thinking. I'm doing a bit of work a the moment with a homeless man. I wasn't fully recovered from my recent illness perhaps (also why I've missed posting for the last 10 days), but yesterday things didn't run as smoothly as they did before. He then accuses me of accusing him of 'lying'. A hole has suddenly appeared in our relationship. Then whenever his credibility or consistency is challenged, it's a challenge to him. Be assessed on fac...
advocacyblog.blogspot.com
Advocacy Blog: Keep on skanking
http://advocacyblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/keep-on-skanking.html
Independent Thinking about Independent Advocacy. Hey hey. 2007 is moving on already, and I've been busy doing things I want to blog about and not having time to write (actually I've got two quite long drafts from the last week, but haven't been able to finish them). At the same time, I'm managing to get a bit of consistency back with my posting, and this seems to be rewarded with more hits and more returning visitors: nothing amazing, but gratifying just the same, and also some positive comments. Christm...
advocacyblog.blogspot.com
Advocacy Blog: The State of the Nation: Open Source in the UK
http://advocacyblog.blogspot.com/2006/08/state-of-nation-open-source-in-uk.html
Independent Thinking about Independent Advocacy. The State of the Nation: Open Source in the UK. I often encourage people to use more ethical Free and Open Source Software (FOSS, of FLOSS - including Libre) , and they ask me for more information. I usually direct people to the OpenOffice.org. Website, and especially to the newsletter. There's also the Mozilla corporation. Developers of Firefox (web browser) and Thunderbird (email client), and news sites like Slashdot. At 22:46 Permanent link to this post.
advocacyblog.blogspot.com
Advocacy Blog: Threats to advocacy funding
http://advocacyblog.blogspot.com/2007/02/threats-to-advocacy-funding.html
Independent Thinking about Independent Advocacy. Threats to advocacy funding. I was at a meeting last week when the question of funding came up. We went round the table and a variety of worrying stories were told. I haven't been very well since then and my memory may not be fully accurate, but here is a brief précis:. There were several stories of local projects losing out to bigger players during the recent IMCA tendering;. There was a rumour that a solicitor's firm had won one of the IMCA tenders;.
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Advocacy Blog: Advocates not against mental health reform
http://advocacyblog.blogspot.com/2007/02/advocates-not-against-mental-health.html
Independent Thinking about Independent Advocacy. Advocates not against mental health reform. I heard that a government minister (probably some months ago now) made a barbed comment at a meeting of advocates that suggested the government thought the advocacy movement was somehow responsible for scuppering the Mental Health Bill. Of course some of us did join in the many voices that said the proposals for locking more people up were unrealistic and unproductive (or whatever was said). How you can contribute.
advocacyblog.blogspot.com
Advocacy Blog: Professionalism, stealth, and Sun Tzu
http://advocacyblog.blogspot.com/2007/01/professionalism-stealth-and-sun-tzu.html
Independent Thinking about Independent Advocacy. Professionalism, stealth, and Sun Tzu. I know sometimes my posts get a bit long and rambling, and while I maintain that that is a vital part of my exposition (my practice, my methodology, my ethics) I do also accept that I need to try to offer some more bite-size chunks as well. I've been discussing my thoughts about professionalism (hidden in the review of christmas and Street Angels. Is similarly about adapting to new technology). This being so he replac...