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Self Determination the Foundation for Self-Advocacy

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Self Determination the Foundation for Self-Advocacy

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Parents Teaching Self-Advocacy Skills: Helping Your Child Toward Self-Determination

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Framework for students with Disabilities

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Framework for students with Disabilities

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Ask a teacher to explain something you don't understand?

Talk with adults about giving you more freedom and responsibility?

If so, you're already on your way to becoming a stronger self-advocate! Tip: If you come across an unfamiliar word as you read this, don't just skip over it, look it up! This will help you get the information you need AND build a strong vocabulary.
What Is a Self-Advocate?

A self-advocate is someone who speaks up for themselves. Self-advocates ask for what they need and want, and try to have as much of a say as possible in making their own life decisions.

Why Should I Become a Self-Advocate?

Until now, adults have made most of the decisions about your life for you. However, now that you are becoming an adult yourself, you should have a say in what you do, in what you want, and in where you are going. Being able to make your own decisions is important because it allows you to:

Live as independently as possible

Do the things you like

Pursue goals after high school

Get a job in the career field you want

Have healthy relationships

Control your own body and health

Manage your own money

Get the services and supports you need

Being a self-advocate is especially important if you have a disability, because you need to:

Understand your rights in different education settings and the workplace

Know how and when to ask for accommodations to do your best

Know how to navigate the community and access the services and supports you need

Advocate for friends and family members who also have disabilities

4 Steps for Becoming a Stronger Self-Advocate!

1. Get to know yourself. It helps to start by figuring out:

The self-advocacy skills you have, and the ones you need to work on

The areas of your life in which you are a strong self-advocate (ex: school, friendships)

The areas in which you want to speak up more and play a bigger role in decision-making

Am I Learning to Lead is a tool that can help you to do a self-assessment in the areas of learning, connecting, thriving, working, and leading.

2. Learn your rights and responsibilities.

After you decide the specific areas you want to become a stronger self-advocate in, it's important to learn what your legal rights are in those areas, and how to responsibly advocate for those rights. For example:

If you have a disability, you have the right to reasonable accommodations at school and work

It is your responsibility to know what a reasonable accommodation is, and how to ask for one

To learn more about your rights if you have a disability, check out: http://www.ndrn.org/index.php.

3. Speak up!

Once you know what areas you want to be a stronger self-advocate in and what your rights and responsibilities are, it's time to start speaking up for what you need and what you want. You can start doing this by:

Sharing your thoughts and opinions in class, at the dinner table, at your place of worship, etc.

Asking questions if you don't understand something your teacher, advisor or your doctor says

Talking with adults and your friends about planning your classes, activities and life after graduation

Standing up for your rights if you think they're being violated

When appropriate, asking for accommodations at school or at work

4. Team up!

Being a strong self-advocate doesn't mean doing everything on your own. There is strength in numbers, and most famous self-advocates, like Martin Luther King Jr. worked with others to achieve common goals.

Think about building a team of people who know you well whom you can trust to help you become a strong self-advocate. Some of these people could be:

Friends and older students you admire

Teachers, principals, and academic advisors

Coaches, religious leaders, counselors, and nurses who you have worked with

Family members who want you to be as independent as possible

You can also learn about disability history and how people teamed up to speak up for themselves:

Things to Think About

You have the power! Being a self-advocate is rarely easy, but never forget that you deserve the life you want and you have the power to make it happen. Most importantly never, EVER give up.

Balance. Being a strong self-advocate is all about balancing assertiveness and respectfulness. You have a right to speak up for what you want and need, but others are more likely to listen and work with you if you approach them as partners, not enemies.

Practice makes it easier. If you get nervous, and worry that your words won't come out right when you have to speak up for yourself, try practicing what you will say ahead of time. Writing down what you want to say, or talking it through with a friend can help you feel more confident.

It takes time. Don't think that you are not a strong self-advocate if you run into obstacles, or have some days when you just don't feel like advocating. Like any other new skill, learning how to effectively gain control over your own life doesn't happen overnight.!

Taking Action!

Now that you know:

What a self-advocate is,

Why it's important to be one, and

How you can become one...

...Start becoming a stronger self-advocate today!

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Youth in Action! - Becoming a Stronger Self-Advocate

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Ask a teacher to explain something you don't understand? Talk with adults about giving you more freedom and responsibility? If so, you're already on your way to becoming a stronger self-advocate! Tip: If you come across an unfamiliar word as you read this, don't just skip over it, look it up!

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ME! Lessons for Teaching Self-Awareness & Self-Advocacy Units & Materials

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ME! Lessons for Teaching Self-Awareness & Self-Advocacy Units & Materials

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The Secret to Self-Advocacy  | Bhavana Bartholf | TEDxWaterStreet

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© Research and Training Center on Community Living at The University of Minnesota. Through the RTC, SAO operates with primary funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AIDD), and other federal agencies.

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Self-Advocacy in the Workplace: Requesting Job Accommodations

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Self-advocacy is knowing what you want, what you do well, and what you have difficulty doing. It includes knowing your legal rights, your needs, and telling that information to the appropriate person. Effective self-advocacy empowers people and gives them access to reasonable accommodations and strategies.

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Transition is a time when many young adults become increasingly aware of their disability. Youth, including those with disabilities, also begin seeing themselves as adults. They want to participate in conversations with their physician and should be part of the decision-making process.

It is important to discuss how your son or daughter's special education team and medical providers can incorporate specific health goals into the scope of education and health transition planning - including self-advocacy and decision-making skills. This section highlights what families can do at home to build self-care, self-management, and self-advocacy skills. Parents and youth both have central roles to play.

Building Self-Advocacy Skills at Home

Each clinic visit offers an opportunity for your youth to build self-advocacy skills and become more involved in managing his or her ongoing health and wellness.

This form is designed to help transition-age youth with disabilities and their families plan for youth to assume greater or full responsibility for their adult health care.

Key Questions for Youth

The following list of questions provide you and your teen with a starting point for assessing your teen's health-related self-advocacy skills. Once you know the answers you and your youth can build on their current level of knowledge and abilities.

Does your son or daughter:

know his or her diagnosis?

know the names of his or her medications?

know the side effects of these medications?

understand the importance of medication compliance?

Can your youth:

describe his or her disability?

express his or her needs and advocate for him/herself?

understand the physician's instructions?

be responsible for his or her own medications?

follow directions on a medication label?

Would it be helpful for your teen to have a medical binder, portable medical summary, or one-page summary outlining his or her disability and special health care needs and how these may impact behavior?

Could assistive technology help with tasks such as making appointments, reminding youth to take medications, and keeping track of contact information for health care providers?

Answering these questions with your young adult will help you identify and prioritize health-related goals to work on together.

Skills and Abilities to Focus On

Young adults transitioning to adult health care providers need to develop certain self-advocacy, self-care, and self-management skills:

Ability and willingness to tell the doctor about their history, current symptoms, lifestyle, and self-care in just a few minutes (including carrying their own records and a summary of their medical history).

Ability to ask questions about his or her condition and how it will affect school, work, recreation, and social life.

Ability to tell the doctor about his or her needs for education, technology, and accommodations and discuss how their condition affects or might be affected by these.

Willingness to follow medical recommendations that have been mutually developed by youth with their doctor.

More independence in following up with referrals and communicating with medical and insurance providers.

More involvement in keeping yourself well

diet and weight control

exercise and recreation

following medication

treatment and hygiene regimens

limiting risk-taking behaviors (such as drinking alcohol, smoking, taking non-prescription drugs, or unsafe sexual practices)

getting help when you feel angry, lonely, or sad for long periods.

Being more aware of their physical and mental symptoms and health needs and informing your doctor before they have a serious medical crisis.

Developing a plan for when you need emergency care:

when to consult with the doctor

what hospital to report to

what care he or she wants and does not want

Adapted from Finding and Using Adult Health Care KY Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs KY TEACH Project

Videos

How Do You Prepare For A Medical Appointment?
Becoming an Adult: Taking Responsibility for Your Medical Care
How To: Talk To Your Doctor

For more videos on this topic, visit our Videos page.

Did you find this helpful?

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Building Self-Advocacy and Self-Care Skills - National Parent Center on Transition and Employment

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It is important to discuss how your son or daughter's special education team and medical providers can incorporate specific health goals into the scope of education and health transition planning - including self-advocacy and decision-making skills. This section highlights what families can do at home to build self-care, self-management, and self-advocacy skills.