Patricia left Glasgow University with an honours degree in Social Sciences in 1989. She did voluntary work to help establish a Victim Support Service in East Kilbride, and was then offered the manager’s post. She worked with East Kilbride Victim Support Scheme until 1999, and left to take up a new post as an advocacy worker.
Patricia has worked for the Speak Out Advocacy Project since then. They work with adults with learning disabilities in South Lanarkshire. They also provide advocacy services for the residents of Kirklands Hospital in Bothwell. It is hoped that Kirklands will close at the start of 2009. The project also supports a collective advocacy service that is organised and managed by adults with learning disabilities. The group have campaigned on many issues, and were instrumental in securing funds and support to make the “What Happens Next?” DVD.
All advocacy organisations strive to ensure that information meets the needs of the people that they support, and “What Happens Next” was an attempt to put quite complex information on a visual platform. The feedback that we have received suggests that people who have limited literacy skills have found this approach helpful.
On a personal level, Patricia lives in East Kilbride, and is married with two sons.
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