Stories and strategies of resistance: multi-stakeholder advocacy efforts in publicly-provided home support services in Ontario.

This Major Research Paper conducted analysis of narrative interviews that explored the experiences of individuals involved with a multi-stakeholder advocacy group, Quality Care Alliance. During its period of operation, the Alliance advocated around intersecting issues facing home care workers, service users, and family members. The research sought to learn about the efforts of QCA and experiences of its members, in terms of the enabling factors, successes, barriers and challenges faced. This research aims to contribute to knowledge about multistakeholder advocacy within the context of neoliberalism. Six themes were uncovered around: participants’ roots of involvement in advocacy, (dis/non)engagement, making solo struggles shared, value of connections and relationships, group processes and challenges related to the work. Anti-oppressive social work practitioners could benefit from supporting advocacy efforts that involve diverse stakeholders, and employing decolonizing practices while engaging in such efforts, especially within the constraints of a neoliberal context.