Bridging the Gap Between People, Services and Systems.
At Advocacy Bridge CIC, we bring people, services and systems together so people can move forward with greater understanding, confidence and participation.
Through practical support, advocacy and coaching, we help people understand themselves, navigate complexity, and create the conditions they need to function, participate, work and thrive.
We don't just solve today's problem...
We help people build the understanding, confidence and practical skills to navigate future challenges more independently.
Our aim isn't simply to help you through one difficult situation.
It's to help you better understand yourself, communicate your needs, make informed decisions and move forward with greater confidence—long after our work together has finished.
What We Can Help With
We provide practical support, advocacy and coaching across a wide range of situations, including:
Understanding yourself
- Neurodivergence
- Self-understanding
- Confidence
- Executive functioning
- Personal development
Communication and self-advocacy
- Speaking up for yourself
- Difficult conversations
- Meetings and appointments
- Letters and emails
- Preparing for assessments
Health and social care
- Adult Social Care
- Care Act assessments
- NHS services
- Care planning
- Coordinating professionals
Work, learning and employment
- Employment
- Self-employment
- Access to Work
- Workplace support
- Career development
Housing, benefits and everyday life
- Housing
- Benefits
- Forms and applications
- Organising paperwork
- Everyday practical support
Navigating services and systems
- Understanding your rights and options
- Coordinating support
- Finding the right services
- Understanding who does what
- Planning your next steps
Advocacy, coaching and practical support
- Independent advocacy
- Practical support
- Personal coaching
- Workplace coaching
- Ongoing support and guidance
Many people tell us...
"I know something isn't right, but I can't explain it."
"I'm trying my best, but it never feels enough."
"People think I'm coping because I mask it well."
"I'm exhausted from having to explain myself over and over again."
"Everyone expects me to just get on with things."
"I don't know who to trust or where to turn."
"Everyone keeps telling me to speak to someone else."
"I just want someone to help me make sense of it all."
No one person or organisation has all the answers. Better outcomes happen when people, services and systems work together—with you at the centre.
Who We Work With
We welcome both self-referrals and professional referrals.
- NHS services
- Adult Social Care
- Employers, Occupational Health and Access to Work
- Education providers
- Charities and community organisations
- Individuals, families, carers and professionals
Whether you're looking for support for yourself, referring someone else, or commissioning services for your organisation, we'd be happy to discuss how we can help.
What Support Can Look Like
Every situation is different, but we may help you to:
- Prepare for meetings and assessments
- Attend appointments with you
- Understand letters and paperwork
- Communicate with professionals
- Coordinate support between services
- Make informed decisions
- Build confidence to advocate for yourself
- Navigate Access to Work and workplace support
Our aim isn't to do everything for you. It's to work alongside you, helping you put the right support in place, understand your options and move forward with confidence.
Our Purpose
To create the conditions for people to thrive—not by changing who they are, but by understanding themselves, accessing the right support and participating in life without losing themselves.
Our Approach
When communication breaks down, support becomes fragmented or systems become overwhelming, we bring the right people together to create clarity, understanding and practical solutions.
We remove barriers, coordinate support and empower people to make informed decisions while maintaining their autonomy, dignity and voice.
When people are heard, understood and supported, better outcomes become possible for everyone.
Why Advocacy Bridge?
Founded by Michelle Shaw, Advocacy Bridge combines lived experience of neurodivergence with decades of professional experience across technology, business, advocacy, coaching and systems navigation.
We understand both the person and the systems they're navigating, helping remove barriers, improve communication and bring the right people together so people can move forward with greater understanding and confidence.
People often come to us when they're navigating:
Feeling overwhelmed, stuck or unsure what to do next
Understanding themselves after a diagnosis, burnout or major life change
Finding it difficult to communicate their needs or be understood
Employment, self-employment, education or Access to Work
Health, healthcare, social care or support services
Housing, benefits, finances or complex paperwork
Important meetings, assessments or difficult conversations
Overwhelm
↓
Understanding
↓
Clarity
↓
Confidence
↓
Action
↓
Participation
What People Leave With
A better understanding of themselves and their situation
Reduced overwhelm and greater clarity
Confidence to make informed decisions
Practical, manageable next steps
The language to explain their needs
Greater understanding between everyone involved
Feeling heard, understood and valued.
Greater autonomy, participation and self-determination
What Becomes Possible?
With the right understanding and support, people are better able to...
✔ understand themselves better
✔ make informed decisions
✔ communicate their needs
✔ access the right support
✔ reduce overwhelm
✔ improve participation
✔ regain confidence
✔ move forward
Where Advocacy Bridge Fits
We work alongside you, not instead of you.
Together, we bridge the gap between you and the people, services and systems around you—helping you understand your options, navigate complexity and move forward with greater confidence, clarity and autonomy.
Creating the Conditions to Move Forward
From surviving... → To participating...
Overwhelm → Understanding
Confusion → Clarity
Feeling unheard → Being heard
Feeling powerless → Connection
Feeling stuck → Informed decisions
→ Manageable next steps
→ Confidence
→ Flourishing
- Practical Support helps you make sense of your situation and organise what comes next.
- Advocacy Support helps others understand you and make better decisions with you.
The Advocacy Bridge Journey
Understanding
↓
Clarity
↓
Confidence
↓
Action
↓
Participation
↓
Growth
Everything we do begins with understanding.
From there comes clarity, confidence, informed decisions and meaningful participation.
No two people are the same, so neither is the support we provide.
We take the time to understand you, what's happening and what matters most.
Together, we'll explore your options, identify the right support and help you move forward.
You don't need to have all the answers before asking for support. Sometimes one conversation is all it takes to make sense of what comes next.
Built With People, Not Just For People
We believe the best services are created through collaboration.
If you have feedback about our website, spot something we've missed or have ideas that could improve accessibility or understanding, we'd love to hear from you.
Your feedback helps shape Advocacy Bridge for everyone.
Thank you for helping us build something better together.
The Hidden Work of Coping
Many people spend enormous amounts of energy managing things that others never see.
- Masking or hiding how they're really feeling
- Constantly analysing conversations and social situations
- Managing sensory overload and environmental demands
- Balancing competing priorities and making countless decisions
- Rehearsing what to say or worrying about saying the wrong thing
- Recovering from everyday activities that others take for granted
Sometimes, the greatest relief comes from no longer feeling the need to hide, mask or constantly adapt just to get through the day.
Meaningful support starts by understanding the person, not just the problem.
For some people, support also means having the safety and confidence to reduce masking, be themselves and communicate their needs more openly.
What Makes Advocacy Bridge Different?
We Start With Capacity
Presentation doesn't always reflect capacity.
People often appear to be coping long after they're overwhelmed.
So instead of asking...
What should this person be able to do?
We ask...
What is this person's capacity today?
From there we work together to identify:
✔ What's happening
✔ What's working
✔ What's getting in the way
✔ What support is needed
✔ What realistic next step looks like
We work alongside you, not instead of you.
Getting Started
You don't need to have everything figured out before contacting us.
Many people come to us feeling overwhelmed, unsure where to start or uncertain about what support they need. That's completely okay.
Part of our role is helping you make sense of what's happening, understand your options and identify the most appropriate next steps.
Step 1 – Free Introductory Conversation
A free 30-minute conversation to understand what's happening, answer your questions and explore whether Advocacy Bridge is the right fit for you.
Cost: Free
Step 2 – Case Setup & Onboarding
If you decide to work with us, we'll begin with a one-off onboarding session.
Together, we'll build a clear picture of your circumstances, priorities, communication preferences and current capacity. We'll review any relevant information, identify immediate priorities and agree how we'll work together moving forward.
One-off fee: £50
Step 3 – Choose Your Support
Practical Support
Helping you organise, understand and move forward.
Advocacy Support
Helping your voice be heard when it matters most.
Personal, Workplace & Professional Coaching
Helping you understand yourself, overcome barriers and build confidence to move forward.
No two people are the same, so neither is the support we provide.
You don't need to decide between Practical Support and Advocacy Support before contacting us.
We'll explore your situation together and recommend the most appropriate approach for your circumstances.
Our Support Options
(1) Practical Support
£45 per hour
Helping you navigate life.
When everyday life feels overwhelming, we help you make sense of information, understand paperwork, prepare for important conversations and break complex situations into manageable next steps.
Ideal if you're:
- Feeling overwhelmed by paperwork or administration
- Unsure where to start
- Preparing for an important meeting or assessment
- Trying to make an important decision
- Looking for practical guidance and clear next steps
Focus
Helping you understand, organise and navigate everyday challenges.
Practical support can include:
Preparing for meetings, assessments and difficult conversations
Understanding letters, reports and paperwork
Helping you communicate your needs
Exploring your options and making informed decisions
Coordinating support between services and professionals
Navigating Access to Work, employment or education support
Organising information and planning manageable next steps
Advocacy Support
£75 per hour
Helping others understand and respond to your needs.
When important decisions, meetings or conversations affect your life, we work alongside you to help ensure your views, wishes and needs are understood and respected.
Ideal if you want to:
- Have someone alongside you during important meetings
- Feel more confident communicating your views and wishes
- Reduce misunderstandings with professionals
- Navigate difficult conversations
- Take an active part in decisions that affect your life
Focus
Helping ensure your voice is heard, your rights are respected and your wishes remain at the centre of decisions.
Advocacy support can include:
Attending meetings and appointments alongside you
🗣 Helping you express your views, wishes and preferences
⚖ Supporting you to understand your rights, options and choices
Working with professionals to improve communication and understanding
Bridging the gap between you and the people, services and systems around you
Helping ensure decisions reflect your needs, wishes and circumstances
Building your confidence to advocate for yourself wherever possible
Our aim isn't to speak for you. It's to work alongside you, helping ensure your voice is heard, your choices are respected and the right support is in place for you to move forward with confidence.
Personal, Workplace & Professional Coaching
£60 per session
Helping you understand yourself and move forward with confidence.
Life doesn't come with a manual. Whether you're navigating neurodivergence, work, relationships, major life changes or simply feeling stuck, coaching provides the time and space to better understand yourself, identify what's getting in the way and develop practical strategies that work for you.
Together, we'll help you make sense of where you are now, build on your strengths, and create realistic steps towards where you want to be.
Ideal if you're:
- Feeling stuck or overwhelmed
- Wanting to better understand yourself
- Navigating neurodivergence or a recent diagnosis
- Looking to build confidence and self-belief
- Facing changes at work or in your personal life
- Struggling with organisation, motivation or executive functioning
- Wanting support to make important decisions
- Looking for accountability and practical strategies to achieve your goals
Focus
Helping you understand yourself, overcome barriers and create meaningful progress.
Coaching can include:
- Developing greater self-understanding and confidence
- Identifying your strengths, needs and personal goals
- Understanding why you become stuck and how to work with yourself rather than against yourself
- Building practical strategies for executive functioning, planning and organisation
- Improving communication and self-advocacy skills
- Preparing for workplace challenges, career development and life transitions
- Understanding your rights, choices and available options
- Developing routines and practical strategies for everyday life
- Breaking overwhelming situations into manageable steps
- Building confidence to make decisions and move forward independently
What's included
- Personalised coaching tailored to your individual circumstances and goals
- Follow-up notes and agreed actions provided in writing
- Personalised visuals, tools and resources
- Session recordings and transcripts (with your consent)
- Practical strategies to use between sessions
- A supportive, non-judgemental coaching environment that works at your pace
Our coaching isn't about telling you what to do. It's about helping you understand yourself, recognise your strengths, navigate challenges and develop practical strategies that enable you to move forward with confidence.
Not Sure Where to Start?
You don't need to know exactly what support you need before getting in touch.
Many people come to us feeling overwhelmed, unsure where to begin, or uncertain about what help is available. You don't have to work it all out on your own.
We'll start by listening to your situation, understanding what matters most to you, and exploring what you're hoping to achieve. Together, we'll help you make sense of what's happening and identify the support that's right for you.
Whether you need practical support, advocacy, coaching, or a combination of services, we'll recommend an approach that's tailored to your individual circumstances, needs and goals.
Sometimes all you need is someone to help you understand where you are, what your options are, and what to do next.
That's exactly what our introductory conversation is for.
Before You Contact Us
- We take safeguarding seriously and will discuss any concerns with you wherever possible before sharing information.
- Advocacy Bridge CIC is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company.
- We provide practical support, advocacy, communication support and systems navigation.
- We do not provide crisis intervention, legal representation, regulated therapy or statutory advocacy.
- Support can be self-funded or funded through a range of organisations and services.
We work alongside you, not instead of you.
