Could you be a friend and advocate for Tom?

Citizen Advocacy connects people with disability with ordinary members of the local community who are willing to build a genuine, long term relationship.

We are looking for someone to get to know Tom, a gentleman aged 60+ who has an intellectual disability and short term memory loss.

Tom spends most of his time with paid support workers and would benefit from having someone in his life who is there simply because they want to be. Someone steady, friendly and reliable who is happy to have a cuppa and a chat, spend some time together and share in some of his interests, including gardening, collections and getting out into the community.

As Tom’s advocate, the main focus is building trust and getting to know him. Over time, this may also include supporting Tom to have his say, speaking up alongside him or helping him when situations are difficult to understand or navigate.

You do not need qualifications or previous experience in disability support. Experience with memory loss may be helpful, but it is not essential.

What matters most is that you are willing to build a genuine relationship, be reliable and stay involved over the longer term.

Your involvement

There are no set shifts or weekly hours. The relationship is flexible and develops around what works for you and Tom.

Citizen Advocacy relationships are intended to be long term, so we are looking for someone who is interested in becoming a consistent person in Tom’s life rather than a short term volunteer.

Orientation, training and ongoing support are provided by Citizen Advocacy Launceston.

Please note

Because this role is focused on building a genuine, freely given relationship, it is not suitable for student placements, Centrelink obligations or people primarily looking to gain work experience in the disability sector.

If this sounds like something you would be interested in, we would love to hear from you.

For more information, please contact Citizen Advocacy Launceston.