Bridging the gaps: making advocacy more accessible in South Tyneside

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’re really proud to now be delivering all advocacy services in South Tyneside under a new five-year contract awarded by South Tyneside Council.

"One of the things I’m most pleased about is that the contract includes a general advocacy offer. This is something we hope to see more widely adopted in the commissioning of advocacy services, because we know from experience there’s often a real gap—where someone needs help to be heard but isn’t eligible for a statutory service. Being able to support people through a non-statutory, general advocacy offer is a fantastic step forward in making advocacy more accessible.

"Because this contract won’t be limited to statutory referrals, we’re also rethinking how we reach people in the community. We’ve always worked hard to promote and raise awareness of advocacy, but this is also an opportunity to do things differently.

"Our Communities team is already well established in South Tyneside, with strong relationships across health, social care and VCSE partners, and a network of regular community events and drop-ins. Under this contract, our General Advocate will be out in those spaces—talking, listening and using a community-led approach to connect with people who may not know that advocacy is available to them.

"And we’re not stopping there. We want to build capacity and resilience in communities by helping people advocate for themselves. That’s why we’ll also be developing a comprehensive self-help and self-advocacy offer, empowering more people to speak up for what they want and need in their own lives.

"This contract opens up real opportunities—not just for us as a provider, but for the people and communities we serve. I’m looking forward to seeing how our service grows and evolves in the years ahead."