Sandra Marquez, supporting self-advocacy at Inclusion Europe, writes in Annual Report 2025.:
2025 was about finding my place, especially working from Lisbon and still feeling part of a team based in Brussels. And I can say clearly: I do feel part of it.
Because of the people. Because of how we work. Because we share the same goals.
Supporting self-advocacy
A big part of my work at Inclusion Europe is supporting the European Platform of Self-Advocates (EPSA) and strengthening self-advocacy. This is the thread that connects everything I do.
EPSA exists since 2000. I have been close to Inclusion Europe since that year, able to see EPSA’s beginnings and how it developed and grew. It now has 20 members from 18 countries, organises popular events like Hear Our Voices!, and is an integral part of Inclusion Europe and our work.
In 2025, two new organisations joined EPSA. This shows that the network continues to grow, even if some organisations leave along the way. It also reflects the reality many self-advocacy organisations face. Self-advocacy work often depends on external funding, and many organisations do not receive stable support for advocacy from governments. This makes it difficult to plan long-term and to sustain their work.
Hear Our Voices!
One of the highlights of 2025 were the Hear Our Voices! self-advocacy events.
I have been organising Hear Our Voices! since 2011, and every time it is different and differently good. But 2025 was special: 18 countries were involved, with 23 organisations organising activities and more than 1,200 participants across Europe.
Behind these numbers are people speaking up, sharing their experiences, and making their voices heard. Members organised their own events. Self-advocates spoke about what matters most to them.
Supporting learning and capacity building
Supporting self-advocacy also means investing in learning and capacity building. I worked with members and helped them organise trainings. I also gave trainings myself. For self-advocates, family members, and for support persons. After all, Inclusion is not only about self-advocates. It is also about the people around them understanding how to support without taking over.
One of the trainings I created was on making the European Union more accessible for self-advocates. This is important if we want people to be part of decisions that affect their lives.
Sharing experiences across Europe and growing self-advocacy
Through work done in projects like UNITY, I could clearly see self-advocacy growing across Europe. In 2025, I took part in several online events from different organisations. More than 400 people participated, with presentations from over 20 self-advocates from 9 countries. In Greece, more than 100 self-advocates were involved as they organised their first self-advocacy conference!
To reach even more people, the work I do for the Self-Determination Academy focuses on the roots of self-advocacy: empowerment. Supporting people to develop confidence, knowledge, and skills to make their own choices and speak up.
Building connections
Looking back at 2025, what stands out is not only what was achieved but how it was achieved. Through collaboration. Through shared commitment. And through the voices of people who we make sure are heard.
Read the Annual Report 2025.