This training package encourages an equal partnership between the advocate and the user where the shared goal is to develop the life skills of the individual with learning difficulties. It is accessible to people with a wide range of literacy needs, including those with high learning needs and is designed for use in formal and informal learning situations, either unsupported or with a facilitator present.'

- Autism Us

'The book is clearly written and is consistent in style and presentation.

Advocacy draws attention to the need for the individual's views to be expressed, communicated and understood by those around them and that advocacy is not what other people think the individual wants. Tufail and Lyons clearly and consitently reinforce this message throughout the book and illustrate this through the use of well-devised case studies to which most people can relate.'

- The Frontline of Learning Disability

'The Four Books in this series; 'Introducing Advocacy', 'Rules and Standards', 'Listen Up!' and 'Advocacy in Action' are comprehensive, informative and quite simply a very good introduction for someone new to the world of advocacy.'

- Practice Links in Social Work

Advocacy for people with disabilities is about empowering people - gaining rights for individuals, access to services, inclusion in society and their own voice. Speaking Up is a set of four guide books designed to give people with a disability the knowledge and advice needed to approach self-advocacy with confidence.

Written in Plain Text, the four books in the Speaking Up set were conceived and written specifically to promote self-advocacy to disabled individuals who want to learn how to speak up for themselves. All four books are illustrated throughout with colour drawings and case studies showing the positive results of self-advocacy on the individuals themselves, as well as on their families and carers.

This empowering training package encourages an equal partnership between the advocate and the user where the shared goal is to develop the life skills of the individual with learning difficulties. It is accessible to people with a wide range of literacy needs, including those with high learning needs and is designed for use in formal and informal learning situations, either unsupported or with a facilitator present.

Introducing Advocacy

The First Book of Speaking Up: A Plain Text Guide to Advocacy introduces the concept of advocacy and explores appropriate advocacy models, for example peer group supportive models, and examines different forms of advocacy such as campaign advocacy, crisis or intervention advocacy, volunteer advocacy and health complaints advocacy.

Rules and Standards

The Second Book of Speaking Up: A Plain Text Guide to Advocacy explores the idea of rules and standards for advocacy and looks at the advocacy charter. It covers issues such as whether an advocate should share a confidence if they are worried that their advocacy partner might self-harm.

Listen Up! Speak Up!

The Third Book of Speaking Up: A Plain Text Guide to Advocacy uses examples of advocacy to explore how to be a good advocate, emphasising the importance of listening to and working with an advocacy partner and explaining how to prepare for and behave in meetings.

Advocacy in Action

The Fourth Book of Speaking Up: A Plain Text Guide to Advocacy looks at problems that can occur in an advocacy partnership, such as dependency on the advocate and conflict between partners. It also discusses advocacy and the law.