May 2010
At a recent Inclusion Ireland conference in Killarney, Máiríde Woods, Advocacy Executive with the Citizens Information Board accepted an Advocacy Award on behalf of Citizen Advocate, Ronan Murphy. Ronan Murphy is part of the Cheshire Citizen Advocacy Project which is funded by the Citizens Information Board under the Community and Voluntary Sector Advocacy Programme. In citizen advocacy a person with a disability is matched with a non-disabled volunteer and both are supported to build a long term relationship.
Ronan's experience with his advocacy partner, Dara Overson shows how life-enhancing this relationship can be for both partners. He said: "For me, a citizen advocate is simply an ordinary person who supports somebody else to help them reach their potential. Citizen advocates really are independent which means that they can work in the interests of the person with whom they are matched. I am very lucky Dara allowed me to become part of his life to witness him achieving so much. Dara has become more confident in his own ability, and more determined to speak up for himself. I've also learned a lot about good music, about Don Baker and about guitars. I would like to thank Inclusion Ireland for this award and I would strongly encourage (everyone) to support the Citizen Advocacy Programme and to spread the word."
Pictured left to right are Jean Spain, Inclusion Ireland Board Member, Mairide Woods, Advocacy Executive, Bill Shorten, outgoing Inclusion Ireland Chairperson and Deirdre Carroll, Chief Executive, Inclusion Ireland.
