Colchester Gateway

ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT SERVICE

WHAT IS ADVOCACY?

“Advocacy helps you to have your say in what happens in your life. Advocacy is supporting you in speaking out about your rights, what you need and what is important to you.”  (The Advocacy Charter, Easy-Read, 2018)  


What do we do?

Our service is for people with Learning Disabilities and their families.

There are times in life when we all need a little help with understanding and making decisions - we can support you with this and Advocate for you with other organisations.  For example,  we can support you with accessing healthcare or social care services, challenging decisions about your care and treatment, future care planning, assessments and reviews, housing, benefits applications and appeals, legal matters, police issues, complaints and more. As your Advocate, we will help you to communicate your needs and wishes and ensure that your voice is heard.  When you have made an important decision, we can support you to follow it through.  Whether you are a person with a Learning Disability or the parent or informal carer, we can be there for you.

We  will communicate with you via home visits, video chat, telephone, and email. Our service is not issue based and we will be with you for as long as you need us. We do not charge for this service.  Watch the video below for more about us.


If you think we could help contact Victoria Gamble 
07710 177050
victoria.gamble@colchestergateway.org.uk


Here's a video about what the Advocacy and Support Service does.

Meet the Team

Victoria Gamble

Manager                                    

Victoria is a Learning Disability Nurse and holds advocacy, teaching and management qualifications.  She has been supporting people with Learning Disabilities for 35 years.  Victoria is the first person to contact if you want to use the service.
07710 177050
Victoria.gamble@colchestergateway.org.uk

Emily Campbell

Lead Advocate

Emily holds The Level 4 Independent Advocacy Practice Award and is also qualified in Health & Social Care.  She has been supporting people with Learning Disabilities since 2014. 





Jess Thripp
Advocate

Jess joined the Advocacy and Support Service whilst Emily was on Maternity Leave and we are delighted to be able to extend her contract. She is qualified in health and social care and management and has been supporting people with Learning Disabilities since 2010.  She will be doing an Advocacy qualification.

Bethany Hanton
Support Worker

Bethany is the newest member of our team.  Her role is to Support people with community engagement and help them maintain the processes the Advocates have put in place.

Ashleigh Jones

Advocate
Ashleigh is the newest member of our team, joining us in December 2023.  She will be doing an advocacy qualification.

REFERRALS WAITING LIST

You can make a referral using the form below, but please keep in mind that we currently have a waiting list of three months.

Referral Form

Colchester Gateway Clubs Registered Charity No 1063731