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Bridging The Gap For

Our Community

The Advocacy Bridge CIC is a not-for-profit, community-focused organisation that helps adults make sense of services, systems, and everyday challenges.

We exist for the people who fall through the gaps — and for the organisations who support them.

We provide relational, steady, human-centred advocacy for individuals who are too overwhelmed, dysregulated, traumatised, or avoidant to navigate services alone. Our role is simple:
we help people move from shutdown to engagement, and from crisis to clarity — one steady step at a time.

As a Community Interest Company, everything we do is designed for public benefit. Any surplus is reinvested into clearer pathways, practical tools, and more accessible guidance for the people who need it most.

Why Our Approach Works

Many people fall between services — too unwell to cope alone, not “unwell enough” for crisis teams, or too overwhelmed, traumatised, or dysregulated to navigate complex or confusing systems.

The result is disengagement. Appointments are missed. Forms go unfinished. Deadlines pass. Communication breaks down — not because people don’t care, but because systems aren’t designed for people under distress or overload.

The Advocacy Bridge CIC exists to fill this gap.

We provide relational continuity, emotional regulation support, and simplified pathways that help people prioritise the help they need and stay engaged and, moving forward safely and steadily.

When someone cannot progress on their own, we step in to:

  • clarify priorities and next steps

  • break information into manageable pieces

  • offer calm, consistent guidance

  • support communication and advocacy

Our role is simple:
to bridge the gap between people and the systems meant to support them — so no one is left trying to work it all out alone.

Our Approach

At The Advocacy Bridge CIC, no one is expected to wait without support or navigate confusing systems alone.

When health changes, circumstances shift, or stability wobbles, even everyday tasks can feel impossible. We walk alongside each person, helping them to:

  • join the dots between services

  • cut through confusion and conflicting information

  • understand their options in plain language

  • navigate forms, appointments, and decisions at a manageable pace

  • access resources that support their journey

We do this calmly, clearly, and without judgement — staying alongside people until the path ahead feels steadier and they feel more confident about what comes next.

Because in our community, no one slips through the cracks.

Start a referral conversation

Who We Support

You might refer someone to us when they:

  • avoid or stop responding to calls from services

  • feel too overwhelmed to complete forms or applications

  • shut down, withdraw, or mask distress

  • struggle to articulate their needs in appointments

  • are neurodivergent and experiencing executive functioning challenges

  • move between agencies without progress

  • are in emotional crisis but do not meet crisis team thresholds

  • need calm, consistent relational support to stay engaged

We work with adults who need help accessing services — particularly following trauma, late-identified neurodivergence, or periods of crisis.

Many people we support find it hard to express themselves, organise thoughts, or follow through with everyday tasks, forms, or decisions. Referrers usually contact us when systems feel too complex for someone to navigate alone.

What Referrers Can Expect

  • We work in partnership with referrers and existing services

  • We keep you appropriately informed, with the person’s consent

  • We provide steady support that helps regulate, stabilise, and maintain engagement

  • We remain involved until the person feels confident and able to continue independently

  • We identify and reduce barriers calmly, without blame or judgement

  • We help shape more inclusive pathways and communication that reflect real people and real life

Our role is to support progress without pressure — creating conditions where people can engage safely and sustainably.

How to Refer Someone

Step 1: Ask the person if they want this support
Before referring, check that the individual is happy for you to pass on their details and understands that the support will be direct and one-to-one.

Step 2: Share contact details
With the person’s permission, send us their name and contact information.
You’re welcome to include brief context if the person has agreed to this.

Step 3: We contact the individual directly
Once referred, we work directly with the person. Our support relationship is with them, not with referring services.

Step 4: Information is shared only with consent
We do not discuss the person’s situation with other services unless the individual explicitly asks us to and gives clear permission.

This is where steady, person-centred advocacy can make the difference.

How We Compliment Existing Services

We don’t replace clinical teams — we help people reach them, engage with them, and follow through.
Our involvement reduces:

  • Missed appointments

  • Crisis escalation

  • Repeat referrals

We are not a crisis service.
We provide the relational continuity and stability that traditional systems often lack.

We support individuals who are too unwell, dysregulated, or fearful to take the first steps alone — staying with them until regulation, clarity, and functional independence return.

How We Support Organisations

We help professionals and services:

  • Adapt their delivery to be more inclusive

  • Communicate clearly and accessibly

  • Reach people who often fall through the cracks

Because at the heart of this work, everyone deserves someone in their corner — especially when the system can’t keep up.

We stand beside people, not above them.
We guide, we advocate, and we help them move from stuck to supported.

📍 Based in Sheffield — Supporting people UK-wide
🔗 Need help or want to refer someone? Get in touch for a no-pressure chat.

How You Can Get Involved

Partner with The Advocacy Bridge – help us reach more adults across the UK navigating crisis, neurodivergence, and access to life-changing support.

Call 01709 262005 Or Email: support@advocacybridge.org.uk to get Involved

🌱 Volunteer Program

Be the Bridge.
We’re building a team of everyday heroes — people who want to stand beside those navigating crisis, confusion, or transition.

Whether you’re great at admin, listening, connecting, supporting, signposting, or simply showing up — we need you.
No formal qualifications required — just heart, reliability, and a willingness to learn.

👉 Express interest at: support@advocacybridge.org.uk

🤝 Sponsor Program

Partner With Us to Power Change.
Your sponsorship directly supports real people who’ve been left behind by the system.

From covering advocacy hours to funding community resources, every contribution creates impact.
We welcome one-off donations, monthly sponsors, and organisational partners who share our vision for accessible, inclusive support.

💡 Let’s talk about how your brand or organisation can be part of this work.

💛 Community Support Fund

The Advocacy Bridge Support Fund
Not everyone can afford the help they need — and they shouldn’t have to.
Our fund exists to make sure no one is turned away due to cost. 100% of donations go directly towards providing free or subsidised advocacy, navigation, or emergency support.

📌 Want to donate or raise funds on our behalf? We’d love to hear from you.

Donate Now

Helping Adults All Over the UK

To navigate life’s toughest systems — with clarity, compassion, and real-world support.

Supporting people to navigate life’s toughest systems — with clarity, compassion, and real-world support.

The Advocacy Bridge exists to support adults who are emerging from crisis, moving through transition, or stabilising after disruption — particularly those who have fallen through the gaps.

From late-identified neurodivergent adults to individuals facing barriers in housing, healthcare, legal processes, or work, we help people feel seen, supported, and empowered to take their next step.

We meet you where you are, and help you move forward at a pace that feels safe and achievable.

 

 

Become a Partner Today

Be the reason someone finds a way forward.

At The Advocacy Bridge CIC, we support people who are falling through the cracks — those feeling overwhelmed, unheard, or facing life transitions with no clear path.
Our volunteers play a vital role in helping us make sure no one has to navigate that alone.

You don’t need formal qualifications.
If you have time, lived experience, practical skills, or simply a heart for helping, there’s a place for you here.
All you need is patience, empathy, and a willingness to learn.

💬 Volunteer roles may include:

  • One-to-one check-ins for emotional grounding and reassurance

  • Admin or systems support to help us run smoothly

  • Signposting and research to help people find the right services

  • Event or outreach support in the community

  • Sharing lived experience to shape our work and improve understanding

We offer flexible roles, clear guidance, and the opportunity to make a real, tangible difference in someone’s life.

👉 Join us today.
Together, let’s build a bridge where others only see barriers.

Join Now
Learn How You Can Contribute

🧭 Our Story

The Advocacy Bridge CIC was created from real life, not theory.

Far too many people find themselves lost in a maze of services, forms, assessments, and long waiting lists. Support that should help often feels confusing, inconsistent, or impossible to access — especially for those who’ve always managed on their own… until something changes and suddenly everything feels too heavy to handle alone.

Our founder, Michelle Shaw, lived this reality herself. As she navigated her own challenges and supported those around her, the same patterns kept emerging:

People unsure where to begin.
Unsure who to trust.
Unsure how to make themselves heard.

Gradually, people started coming to her — often when they didn’t know where else to turn.

 

The Advocacy Bridge CIC grew from that reality.
It formalises what Michelle was already doing naturally: showing up with people, breaking things down, speaking human, and helping them take a breath to move forward when everything felt jammed or overwhelming.

“I didn’t need another leaflet or a helpline. I needed someone who could actually walk me through what to do next and what to expect. Michelle didn’t just listen — she helped me make sense of everything and took practical steps with me. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without her.”

“Before The Advocacy Bridge, I felt invisible. Services were bouncing me around, and no one really understood what I was going through. Michelle saw the full picture — and she helped me breathe and feel human again.”

“I’d been trying to get support for months. Within one week of connecting with Michelle, things started moving. She knew who to speak to, how to ask, and what to say in a way that got results.”

“Michelle is the bridge between intention and delivery.
Where services often miss the mark, she steps in and makes sure no one is left behind.”

“She brings clarity, compassion, and accountability — not only for the people she supports, but for the professionals working around them.
She challenges gently but effectively, always keeping the person at the centre.”

“Our staff learned so much simply by watching how she worked.
She holds space with calm confidence and builds trust faster than any engagement strategy we’ve tried.”

 

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Get in Touch. Get Involved.

The Advocacy Bridge CIC is built on connection and collaboration. If you’d like to refer someone, partner with us, volunteer, or support our mission, we’d love to hear from you.

Matrix@Dinnington Business Centre, Nobel Way, Dinnington, Sheffield S25 3QB

📞 01709 262005

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