What we do
West Island Citizen Advocacy is a non-profit charitable organization that matches competent volunteer citizens, advocates, with persons having problems, protégés. Volunteer advocates provide the help that the person needs. This help could be practical such as budgeting, a daily telephone reassurance call, spokesmanship or defense of rights. The help provided by an advocate might also be emotional support offered on a regular basis. All our advocates who are recruited must commit themselves for at least one year and must provide the office with three persons who could provide written references. Advocates who provide emotional support for the lonely or isolated handicapped person do a variety of activities with their protégés such as going to the movies, going for walks, biking, listening to music, reading books, crafts or even cooking. Protégés go on outings with their advocates, visit in each others' homes and become friends over time. Many of our matches have lasted years, even when the advocate or protégé moves.
History
The West Island Citizen Advocacy office was the first office opened in Quebec in 1976. Mrs. Joanne Farley, the parent of a handicapped person, heard about Citizen Advocacy from its founder, Dr. W. Wolfensberger at a conference in Winnipeg. She, long a volunteer fighter for quality human services in Montreal, was enthralled with the idea of providing the handicapped person, or protégé, with a volunteer advocate who had only the handicapped person's best interests in mind. Handicapped persons could have a friend who was not part of the system and who was a friend because he wanted to be. With an advocate, the handicapped person or his/her family would no longer have to depend on the system to secure the services needed. With an advocate, some persons living in institutions, would have someone caring about them who was not paid to do so. West Island Citizen Advocacy began in Joanne's home. Joanne served anyone who needed help, and we continue to do this today.