Who's Who at ARX?
Janet Badger – Chief Officer
Janet has a long history of working in the field of advocacy and managed an Advocacy organisation in the Midlands for 12 years from the early 90’s. Janet also worked for the British Institute of Learning Disabilities in their advocacy department and managed the advocacy grant schemes on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government and the Department of Health. This work allowed Janet the opportunity to meet large numbers of locally based advocacy groups in England and Wales and develop good working relationships with them. Janet currently works in a self employed capacity and some of her most recent work has involved writing a number of the modules for the new National Advocacy Qualification.
Charles Hodgson – Treasurer
Charles has been the treasurer of ARX since February 2007. He has a background in Education but moved to Advocacy in 1994. Charles started the charity Choices Advocacy in Southampton and South West Hampshire, which now employs 24 staff and has more than 60 volunteers.
Over the last seven years he has been involved in founding both regional and national advocacy organisations and produced advocacy standards. He has written and taught advocacy modules at both the universities in Southampton and delivers in-service courses to Hampshire Social Services.
Charles has overseen the writing and publication of three research studies in advocacy and written advocacy volunteer training modules and has been involved in writing some of the National Advocacy Qualification materials.
Shelagh Gleeson - Trustee
Shelagh recently joined the trustees and is ARX main link with the National Coalition of CA schemes. She is one of the original members of the Coalition executive committee and has been involved with developing the Coalition from its inception. Shelagh retired officially from working in direct advocacy provision in December 2005. Until then she was Coordinator for Sheffield Citizen Advocacy for 15 years alongside Diana Charles. She is currently an advocate with Doncaster Advocacy.
Chris Lee – Trustee
Chris has been working in advocacy for a number of years. He is currently Chief Officer of Hampshire Advocacy Regional Group (HARG). HARG is a regional network/consortium; its membership consisting of about a dozen independent advocacy schemes from across the county. Its main aims are to
- Promote independent advocacy in Hampshire
- Identify gaps in local advocacy provision and develop new schemes where appropriate
- Strengthen existing advocacy schemes
- Formalise local advocacy standards
- Engage in dialogue with local statutory bodies and funders
He was previously Team Manager and Advocate with a successful and innovative community-based advocacy outreach project, based in a ‘New Deal’ regeneration area of Southampton. This project provided vital advocacy support to some of the city’s most isolated and excluded people.
Wendy Banks – Trustee
Wendy Banks has worked in the disability and advocacy field for 17 years, both in the United Kingdom and Australia.
Prior to this role, Wendy worked at Scope for 9 years, initially as the Advocacy Development Manager and then Head of Co-Production. Wendy’s role was to lead on the development and promotion of advocacy, supported decision making and effective customer engagement, particularly with people with additional support needs. During this time, Wendy set up and chaired the Independent Advocacy Campaign, led on the national research into the lack of advocacy for people with additional support needs and co-authored the publication Advocating for Equality. Wendy also managed the Voices Through Advocacy project, which has led to over 300 advocates receiving free training on non-instructed advocacy.
Before working for Scope, Wendy worked for Mencap initially as a manager of a day centre and then as an Advocacy Co-Ordinator for young disabled people. Prior to moving to the UK, Wendy worked as a Psychologist in Australia specialising in the field of disability and substance abuse.