Advocacy
Challenging injustice, supporting people directly
A core part of everything we do
Advocacy is a core part of UISCE’s work — both in challenging structural injustice and in providing direct support to people who use drugs.
We support people to self-advocate by understanding their rights and how to address unfair treatment, and we support people to access and navigate services and state agencies, which people tell us can be stressful and at times traumatising.
Three streams of advocacy
Self-advocacy
Helping people understand their rights, recognise unfair treatment, and address it themselves.
Navigating services
Supporting people to access and move through services and state agencies with someone on their side.
Structural change
Challenging the systemic failures behind the issues people bring to us.
Building the case, together
The issues are rarely isolated
This work is underpinned by a structural understanding of inequality and discrimination — the issues people bring to UISCE are rarely isolated, but rooted in systemic failures.
The majority of people we work with come from marginalised communities that face discrimination covered by the nine grounds recognised in the Equal Status Act, alongside class-based discrimination and poverty. As highlighted in our Agency, Access and Solutions research, these experiences reflect widespread human rights violations across services and systems.
Well for me, it tells you that people who take drugs aren’t stupid. And they can be brought back and taught. And they’re not dead ends, and they’re not just lesser than. They can contribute, if you let them. And if you make the spaces.
Niall, Peer Support Worker
Free, confidential advocacy
If you feel your rights aren’t being respected, we’re here to support you — to make sure your voice is heard.