Advocacy is taking action to help people say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and obtain services they need. Advocates and advocacy schemes work in partnership with the people they support and take their side. Advocacy promotes social inclusion, equality and social justice

The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance promotes, supports and defends the principles and practice of independent advocacy across Scotland.

OPAAL’s immediate aims are: - to promote independent advocacy with older people as a right - to contribute to the development of standards, including greatly improved access, and - to develop better practice in the field. OPAAL works with advocacy schemes and alliances across the United Kingdom in other fields of concern and involves a wide range of community development agencies and national and regional bodies alongside advocacy schemes in its membership and management committee.

Advocacy Service Aberdeen is an independent advocacy service for people who live in Aberdeen. We work with people using health and social work services. Everyone in Scotland who has a mental disorder (including learning disability) has a legal right to an independent advocate.