Our new joint report with the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance shares what came out of the Advocating for Collective Advocacy event held in January 2026. Bringing together collective advocacy members, advocacy organisations, commissioners, civil society representatives and Scottish Government voices, the event focused on why collective advocacy matters, the pressures it is facing, and what needs to happen next to protect and strengthen it in Scotland.
The report shows that collective advocacy is not just about being heard. It is about people with shared experiences coming together to build confidence, challenge discrimination, influence policy and practice, and create lasting change. Participants spoke powerfully about collective advocacy as a source of peer support, community, accountability and rights, and as an essential way for people to shape the decisions that affect their lives.
Across Scotland, collective advocacy is under serious pressure from insecure funding, inconsistent provision and narrow interpretation of legal duties, even as need continues to grow. The discussion highlighted the gap between policy commitments and what is happening in practice, and made the case for collective advocacy to be recognised and resourced as vital social infrastructure, not an optional extra.
The report ends with practical recommendations for Scottish Government, Health and Social Care Partnerships, and the wider advocacy sector. These include updating guidance for commissioners, progressing the recommendations of the Scottish Mental Health Law Review, improving local strategic planning, and building stronger support for collective advocacy across the country.