FAQ
What is Ceartas?
Ceartas is a registered charity and a provider of advocacy in East Dunbartonshire.
Ceartas (pron. Kier-tis) is a Gaelic word for equity, fairness, justice and right. This is what we are trying to achieve and promote as we support and represent individuals in East Dunbartonshire.
What’s the history of Ceartas?
Ceartas was established on 1 March 2004 and started to deliver advocacy services from April 2004. It emerged due to Scottish Executive guidelines which recommended that advocacy provision should be managed by organisations independent from direct care provision.
Ceartas developed from the then existing Alzheimer Scotland Advocacy Service that had been established in 1994 within the North East of Glasgow and the Strathkelvin area of East Dunbartonshire. Between April 2004 and June 2008, Ceartas delivered advocacy and information for older people and individuals with dementia but the service has since expanded and now offers advocacy to the following care groups:
Dementia; Older People; Learning disability; Mental Health; Sensory Impairment; Physical Disability; Acquired Brain injury; Autism; Additional Communication needs and Addictions.
What is advocacy about?
Independent Advocacy works to support people to represent their own interests but if that is not possible, the advocate will represent the person's views, especially when circumstances make that individual vulnerable. Advocates work in a variety of settings from the person's own home to hospitals and care homes. Simply it’s about making sure others listen to what individuals have to say, making sure that their views and opinions are represented.
Where is Ceartas based?
Ceartas’ main office is in Suites 5-7 at McGregor House in Donaldson Crescent.
What services does Ceartas provide?
Since its introduction, Ceartas has developed significantly; it has been funded to deliver:
- An independent professional advocacy service across East Dunbartonshire
- Volunteer Opportunities within advocacy
- Collective advocacy
- An information service for older people
- An information service for people with dementia
- OPAL an information telephone helpline
- Dementia Voices A service user involvement project for people with dementia and their carers
- User involvement group through Ceartas groups- Forum & “Still Game”
- ABI Café a peer support group for individuals with acquired brain injury
- A-Spire a peer support group for people with Autism
- Changes- a collective advocacy group encouraging involvement in local planning
- Training in regard to advocacy, dementia issues and user involvement
- Volunteering within Ceartas
- Promotion of Self Directed Support through SHINE Project
Ceartas also run a number of client and issue specific groups, all designed to improve access to advocacy for individuals.
How is Ceartas funded?
Ceartas receives its funding from Local or Health authority contracted work as well as individual Trust funds and donations.
How Ceartas is currently managed?
Ceartas is a membership organisation. The membership, elect a Board of Directors to look after the affairs of the organisation. The Board meets every two months with also regular sub group meetings (Finance & Operations, Staffing, Fundraising & Development ) to ensure that the board is informed on the organisation’s performance.
The Board appoint staff to manage the day to day running of the organisation.
1