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Peer advocacy in a personalized landscape: the role of peer support in a context of individualized support and austerity
- Authors:
- POWER Andrew, BARTLETT Ruth, HALL Edward
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 20(2), 2016, pp.183-193.
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Place of publication:
- London
Whilst personalisation offers the promise of more choice and control and wider participation in the community, the reality in the United Kingdom has been hampered by local council cuts and a decline in formal services. This has left many people with intellectual disabilities feeling dislocated from collective forms of support (Needham, 2015). Drawing on a co-researched study undertaken with and by persons with intellectual disabilities, the authors examined what role peer advocacy can play in filling this gap in support in a context of reduced day services, austerity and individualized support. The findings reveal that peer advocacy can help people reconnect in the face of declining services, problem-solve issues and informally learn knowledge and skills needed to participate in the community. It is argued argue that peer advocacy offers a vital role in enabling people to take up many of the opportunities afforded by personalisation. (Edited publisher abstract)