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About HOPE

This exciting new project will be supporting people to engage, participate, gain information, have their voices heard, understand their rights, make choices, be involved, share experiences, raise awareness of advocacy, and develop skills and knowledge.

What will HOPE be delivering?

HOPE will deliver advocacy support at a community level through a range of advocacy models by recruiting and then fully training and supporting project volunteers. HOPE aims to support people at an early stage in their issues or concerns to prevent them slipping into crisis. We want to help people to get the help and support they need at the earliest point and we know that the current COVID-19 pandemic will have had a big impact on the lives of older people so they might need more support than ever to reengage with their communities and to get access to services as restrictions are lifted.

HOPE will deliver advocacy for older people (50+) and carers across Wales. HOPE staff and volunteers will also engage with communities who can guide us to make sure the service we provide is right for the needs of older people and carers in their areas. We’ll develop forums to support us to do this or we’ll work with existing ones where they exist. We don’t want to duplicate existing services but rather we want to make sure we work with and complement the existing advocacy providers and forums across Wales.

HOPE will identify and support Advocacy Ambassadors through the forums, who will promote awareness of rights and choices, and the importance, benefits and outcomes of advocacy. HOPE will promote advocacy in all its forms to show how important it is and what a difference it can make.

HOPE will establish a programme of training, workshops and events enabling advocates across Wales to further develop their skills and knowledge. Training and workshops will also be available to other professionals who would benefit from greater awareness of advocacy and how to access it.

Where and when will the project be delivering its services?

This is a Wales wide project but we’ll be working across regions with regional staff in place. These regions are:

  • Bridgend, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taff and the Vale of Glamorgan
  • Dyfed Powys
  • Gwent
  • North Wales
  • Swansea and Neath Port Talbot

Who are the project partners?

  • Age Cymru
  • Age Cymru Dyfed
  • Age Cymru Gwent
  • Age Cymru Gwynedd a Mon
  • Age Cymru Powys
  • Age Cymru West Glamorgan
  • Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale
  • Age Connects Morgannwg
  • Age Connects Neath Port Talbot
  • Age Connects North East Wales
  • Age Connects North Wales Central
  • Age Connects Torfaen

As this is a new project, we’ll need some time to get it all up and running across some very large areas, so even within the regions we’ll have to focus our attentions on specific areas of most need in the early stages. We’ll then be rolling HOPE out across the regions. Please bear with us as we do this.

How can I find out more?

For more information or if you have any queries please contact us.

You can also find out more on the Age Cymru National website: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/cymru/our-work/advocacy/hope---helping-others-participate-and-engage/