SAM is a user led independent advocacy service for people with care and support needs in Swindon. SAM's work informs a local society where everybody is welcome and equal. Working alongside people with Autism, Mental Health issues, Learning Disabilities and Dementia, SAM challenges inequality and social injustice. Empowering people to stand up their for their rights and informing others about equality, SAM really makes a difference to the people they work for in Swindon.

Why the community needs us
SAM has played a key part in supporting people with learning disabilities and Autism living in Swindon for over 20 years. Over the years SAM has enabled many hundreds of people to have a voice who would otherwise not be heard. As a user led charity we have always had the needs of our members close to our hearts and central to all of our activities.

Covid-19 Response

As the COVID 19 emergency struck we were particular concerned about many of our ex-clients as most of them are not known to statutory services and we felt that they may not be able to access support from the local authority and community volunteer services.  We telephoned  over 100 people and signposted 48 people to access urgent food deliveries,  36 people to access medicine, 36 people to emotional support and 54 people to statutory health and social care services.  We continue to offer regular phone calls with emotional and practical support to over 50 people. 

At the same time we continue to run all our advocacy services contacting around 300 people every week by phone, supporting them to access services and maintain their health and well-being.

In addition to this we have been sending out individual bespoke information and activity packs to 70 of our members with learning disabilities who usually have no access to the internet and are isolated.  We have brought together a small team of volunteers who make deliveries and follow up each pack with a phone call to enable people to engage with the activities for independence e.g nutrition sheets, number games for budgeting, simple recipes and ensure they are safe and well.

Our impact on the community
In the period April 2017 - March 2018 SAM provided free, independent support and advocacy to over 800 local people with a range of care and support needs including statutory Care Act Advocacy, Independent Mental Health Advocacy (IMHA), Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (IMCA), and IMCA DoLs (Deprivation of Liberty).