Louise is a 24 year old scientist who has been working in the not- for- profit sector for the last five years. Following a hypoglycaemic episode at work she was dismissed. At the time of contacting the DA-Vic’s advocacy co-ordinator, Louise was unemployed, emotionally distressed and talked about taking her life. Louise was also in debt, had returned to live with her parents, her diabetes, was “all over the place “and she had not sought legal advice. Over a period of 18 months DA-Vic’s advocacy program worked alongside Louise to restore her physical and emotional health.

This person with type 1 diabetes is one of 700 plus contacts received by DA-Vic’s individual advocacy program last year.

DA-Vic’s individual advocacy program works alongside people with diabetes when they:

• Face discrimination, while at work and other areas of public life
• Need help to secure their rights
• Want help to say what they want to say
• Request help to link to the services they need
• Have suggestions on how to improve diabetes information, services and policy.

Aims
Drawing on case examples to present our model for individual advocacy and address:

• Why advocate in diabetes?
• Presenting the categories of advocacy concerns
• Gaps in services
• Role(s) of a diabetes advocate
• What has been achieved though advocacy?
• What skills are required for a diabetes advocate?
• Arena’s and scope for diabetes advocacy
• Strategies utilised by the diabetes advocate
• Ethics and diabetes advocacy.

Conclusion and practice implications

Social workers, while well placed to react to the presenting immediate requests of individuals with diabetes also have the capacity to work alongside those with diabetes and others to act on improvements in the public health policy arenas.