Stonebridge logo
  • Courses

    Course Categories

    Nursing Midwifery Health Professionals Social Science Medicine and Healthcare Professions Science Humanities Business & Management Social Work Education All Access to Higher Education
    A Level Psychology A Level Biology A Level Chemistry A Level English Language A Level Maths A Level Accounting A Level English Literature A Level Sociology A Level Business Studies A Level Physics A Level History A Level Economics
    GCSE Psychology GCSE Biology GCSE Chemistry GCSE Economics GCSE English Literature GCSE Sociology GCSE Business Studies GCSE Physics GCSE History GCSE (9-1) English Language GCSE (9-1) Mathematics Foundation Tier
    Accountancy and Bookkeeping Law and Business Management Customer Care Human Resources (HR) Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) Sales and Marketing Business Skills Healthcare Skills Law Skills IT Skills
    Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Coaching Early Years Educator and Childcare Education and Teaching Education, Teaching and Coaching Personal and Parenting Teaching Assistant
    Anatomy and Physiology Animal Care CBT, Psychotherapy and Counselling Complementary Therapies Foot Health Practitioner Health and Social Care Nutritional Sciences Psychology Sports and Fitness Stress Management
    English and Maths Functional Skills GCSE
    Agriculture, Horticulture and Gardening Animal Care Art and Photography Beauty, Hair and Nails CBT, Psychotherapy and Counselling Conservation and Environment Criminology and Security Hospitality, Catering and Event Management Travel, Tourism & Aviation Web Design and IT Writing and Journalism
    Canine and Feline Qualifications Animal Welfare Qualifications Veterinary and Zoology Qualifications All Veterinary Science and Animal Care Qualifications
  • How it works
  • Help and support
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Access My Learning
  • View My Basket
Student Login

OR

Click here to login
Atom LMS Logo

Forgot Password?

  • Stonebridge Home
  • Our Blog
Our Blog
May 7, 2021

Why is Mental Health Advocacy important?

Written by Fiona
Stonebridge - Why is Mental Health Advocacy important?

As an advocate, you give support to others to make sure their rights, needs and goals are heard and met. This could be individuals or groups of people who are at risk, vulnerable or have diminished capacity. And perhaps cannot communicate their needs or desires effectively alone.

You would help them to understand their rights and the services available to them. Making sure service providers recognise their goals and put plans in place to help achieve them. You would also act as a source of support when individuals have to make important decisions about their lives.

This type of support has been available for at risk individuals for some time. Which includes the elderly, young people and individuals with physical or learning disabilities. However, it’s only recently that it’s been offered to individuals experiencing mental health issues.

A big reason for this was the associated stigma and lack of understanding surrounding mental health. But mental health advocacy is just as important to safeguard individuals with mental health issues as any other disability.

Regardless of their challenges, person-centred approach dictates an individual’s needs and goals must be taken into account. Third parties can give advice and put forward what they believe is best, but the individual has the final say on what they want from their support.

As such mental health advocates are essential to ensure these needs are met within the framework. Find out more about the different reasons why mental health advocacy is important below.

Stonebridge - Mental Health Advocacy

For breaking down barriers

As it stands, far less emphasis is placed on maintaining our mental health in comparison to our physical health. Currently, only  1 in 8 adults with mental health issues are receiving treatment.

This is just one reason why mental health advocacy is needed. It helps break down the many barriers facing individuals with mental health issues or enduring disorders.

Currently, some of the most significant barriers are:

Too few mental health services

Not enough treatments are provided in the UK and those which are available aren’t always adequate. Also, available services tend to be offered to individuals with immediate, life-threatening cases. Because capacity is so low, early intervene to prevent challenges from escalating is rare.

Physical health considered more important

Governments and health insurance companies invest more heavily in regular health services.

Inadequate quality of care in current facilities

Such as psychiatric facilities and mental health hospitals, with little else to choose from.

Paternalistic services

Those considering the views of the service provider over the individual.

Human rights violations

Lack of housing and employment provided to individuals with mental health disorders. Reluctance from private landlords to rent to them and too few organisations supporting through a residential setting.

Stigma

The negative connotations people have of mental health disorders that often result in exclusion.  

Not enough positive programmes

Absence of programmes promoting the reality of mental health disorders and preventive methods in schools, workplaces and society.

Minimal or inadequate policies, programmes and legislation 

No mental health policies or programmes in existence in many countries worldwide.

Stonebridge - Advocacy breaks down barriers

Giving people a voice

Being an advocate for mental health allows you to voice the thoughts and feelings of individuals or groups. You’re placed to make sure their opinions and preferences for their support and welfare are documented and provided.

This is a key principle of person-centred approach, which states that the individual’s personal objectives must be prioritised. Even if they are different from those identified by the service provider.

The reason for this is anyone who doesn’t require support can make their own decisions freely. That same level of freedom should be extended to those with diminished capacity and anyone requiring support.

As such, mental health advocacy follows certain characteristics:

Confidentiality

Sharing information given about the client with them but keeping information clients share confidential unless there is a risk to themselves or others.

Empowerment

Enabling clients to speak for themselves and, if not possible, ensuring their points of view are acknowledged and understood. Allowing them to make informed decisions.

Free of charge

Advocates do not charge for their services.

Inclusivity

Making sure everyone has access to an advocate.  

Independence

Expressing the client’s views without prejudice.

Impartiality

Presenting the client’s point of view as valid and truthfully as possible, without judgement.

As a genuine mental health advocate, you must listen to the individual to discover what they want from their life. As opposed to having anyone decide this for them on their behalf. That way, those with mental ill-health can express their interpretation of the services they need. Which enables them to make informed decisions about the treatment they receive and many other aspects of their lives.

Stonebridge - Giving people a voice

Changing perceptions of Mental Health

The increased provision of mental health advocacy has helped the public realise the realities of mental health issues and disorders.

Before, people made assumptions about the behaviours associated with mental ill-health. Which fed the stigma surrounding them and made individuals experiencing them more reluctant to seek help and treatment.  

Now, more people are being educated about the true nature of these challenges. Helping the public to see that people experiencing mental health issues are no different to those with physical health problems. Lessening the disparity and encouraging more equal treatment of all types of health challenges.

Advocacy helps us better understand the needs of those with mental disorders. Which helps the system better protect their rights and enhance the quality of the services available to them.

Stonebridge - mental health advocacy changes perceptions

Learn more about Mental Health online

The best way to become an advocate for mental health is to gain a detailed understanding of mental health conditions. That way, you will recognise what can lead to these issues and disorders and what can trigger an episode.

Understanding this will help you appreciate the needs of the people you will work with. And you can gain this knowledge through a number of online courses.

By studying mental health, you’ll learn how to identify problem areas, how issues can manifest and how to help people overcome their struggles. You’ll also learn about the support systems available, so you can put people on the path to improved mental wellbeing.

Online courses are studied at a time that suits you. So you can get this knowledge outside of your current job or family commitments.

After studying, you could become an advocate for mental health or pursue a paid career in the mental health sector.

Either way, you can get the knowledge you need with Stonebridge Associated Colleges. As the UK’s leading distance learning provider, we have many courses dedicated to mental health education.

Find out more about what you can learn and where your knowledge can take you below.

Stonebridge - Study Mental Health Online

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn


More from Mental Health Courses and Advice

Mental Health Advocacy

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Our Associations.

fld cma ncfe-logo abc awards asso. for coaching ccc mo ecdl fht ahha European Union Social Fund Logo BIIAB Innovate Awarding Open College Network West Midlands RFHP world fia nus cache vtct activeiq

What our customers think.

Trustpilot

Sign up to our Newsletter.

There's a whole lot happening at Stonebridge and in the world of learning. Sign up for our newsletter and you'll be among the first to know about it! All fields are required.

Stonebridge logo
Stonebridge Associated Colleges Limited is registered with the UK Register of Learning Providers: UK Provider Reference Number is 10006352.
Cookie policy | Data Protection and Privacy Statement Content and Images © Stonebridge Colleges. All rights reserved, 2021.
  • Community
  • Privacy Notice
  • Careers
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Distance Learning Courses
  • Home Learning Courses
  • Home Study Courses
  • Blog
  • Request Prospectus
  • FREE when you enrol
  • Refer a Friend
  • Information for USA Students
Chat with us