CAPS Independent Advocacy

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CAPS is an independent advocacy organisation. This means we are completely independent from the people who fund us and those who provide other services to the people we work with. We only provide independent advocacy and no other services.

We provide Individual Advocacy to people from East Lothian and Midlothian who have mental health issues or are using drugs or alcohol. We also provide advocacy for children and young people (5-18) going through the Children’s Hearings process, in these areas.

We provide Collective Advocacy to groups of people across Lothian with mental health issues so they can come together and voice their experiences in order to bring about change for others or improvements in services.

The main purpose of CAPS’ work is to assist people, through advocacy, as individuals or as members of a group, to set their own agenda, make their wishes known and to have a say in how they live and what services they use.

Here's a taste of what we do:

  • we provide trained advocates to work with individuals;
  • we find out about and publish people’s views on mental health issues and services;
  • we find ways for people with mental health issues to educate students and staff about what it’s like to have a mental health issue;
  • we make sure people have a say direct to politicians in the Cross Party Group on Mental Health;
  • we ensure what people say is important about mental health services is heard by the local decision makers;
  • we encourage people to get involved with us as collective advocacy volunteers.

Website: https://capsadvocacy.org/