At Your Voice Counts, we believe in the power of lived experience and the importance of supportive working environments that help people thrive. Few stories demonstrate this more clearly than Summer’s. Joining us as a Co-Production Worker with lived experience of mental health services, Summer has grown in confidence, developed new skills and now reached an exciting next step in her career as she moves into a customer service role with a new employer.

We’ve published our Annual Report and Accounts for 2024/25, highlighting a year of progress, impact and growth.

During Advocacy Awareness Week, we’re celebrating the people and moments that remind us why advocacy exists. This year's theme is 'Why Advocacy?' and to us the answers are simple:

We’re delighted to welcome Leah Kennedy to Your Voice Counts as our Head of Communities. Leah leads our services for people with a learning disability and autistic people in Gateshead and South Tyneside and joins us at an exciting time as we continue to launch and grow new place-based projects.

Today is International Day of Sign Languages, and we’re taking a moment at Your Voice Counts to reflect on what this day really means - not just for Deaf people, but for all of us who care about inclusion, equality and human rights.

We have recently become the main advocacy provider in the South Tyneside area. In this blog, our Head of Advocacy Sharon de Jesús shares her thoughts on the new contract and the importance of general advocacy as part of a wider service offer.

We have recently become the main advocacy provider in the South Tyneside area. In this blog, our Chief Executive David Woolley shares the significance of the contract and the importance of co-production in procurement.

From 1 September 2025, Your Voice Counts will become the single point of contact for all advocacy services in South Tyneside.

New contracts and successful grant funding bids mean growth and expansion for Your Voice Counts

Peer Support Worker Ricky shares his reflections from the event and why celebrating good practice and achievements from our sector is so important.