People with disabilities often face a host of difficulties, from lack of infrastructure to social marginalization. Therefore, it is extremely important to shape a world in which they will be included, not as separate groups with special needs, but as an integral part of the diverse human environment. To achieve this goal, both third-party advocacy and self-advocacy are important means, that will make the voice of people with disabilities be heard and thus will increase awareness. The purpose of the following module is to help youth ambassadors, with or without disability, advocate with/for young People with Visual, Hearing and Physical Impairments (PwVHPI).
The module will offer knowledge on the importance of advocating and on how-to-best implement a successful advocacy intervention. Furthermore, it will provide knowledge on different types of advocacy and tips regarding the empowerment and self-advocacy of young people with disabilities.
By the end of this module, you will learn:
- more about the concept of advocacy the different types of it and its importance and examples of advocacy interventions,
- how to begin formatting an advocacy plan,
- how to empower and support young people with disabilities advocate for themselves and skills you need to develop for becoming an advocate.
1. What is advocacy?
Advocacy originates from the Latin word advocare, ‘call to one’s aid’ or to speak out on behalf of someone, as a legal counselor. However, the concept of advocacy fits into a range of activities that includes organizing, lobbying and campaigning.
Everyone has the right to be treated equally. But due to certain circumstances certain groups are usually discriminated against in society, based on various factors such as gender, social status, race, age, disability. It is in such circumstances that the groups or their representatives speak out to seek the recognition and respect of their rights (Waliuya, 2010, p.7). This process is then referred to as advocacy.
Graphic Source: PIXABAY
In the framework of the DARE project we will focus on speaking about advocacy regarding the inclusivity and rights of people with disabilities. We have two main categories of advocacy (What You Need to Know About Disability Rights Advocates, 2020):
- legal advocacy: with lawyers, or other trained professionals, who litigate for disability rights on behalf of a client, government or organization, and
- social advocacy: advocates are people who work toward furthering disability rights through social change and public policy.
Within these two categories we have different types of advocacies such as (What You Need to Know About Disability Rights Advocates, 2020):
Citizen advocacy – This type of advocacy is the most frequent and common type of advocacy. Citizens act as volunteers and advocate for specific cases e.g. the rights of a specific person with a disability or a particular disability and the collective rights of people with this type of disability. The common aim of citizen advocacy, encompasses community awareness, fundraising, and long-term care of a person that can’t support themselves.
Group advocacy – This type of advocacy, gathers different types of advocators (individuals, organizations, associations, etc.) and is about advocating for a group of people with the same disability or a common disability rights goal.
Individual advocacy – An individual or personal advocate is a person who advocates for another person with disabilities using a one-on-one approach. Mostly, personal advocates are there to avert or address any discriminatory – illegal treatment or abuse of a person with disabilities. In the US, social security advocates fall under this type of advocacy.
Self-advocacy – This type of advocacy happens when someone with a disability speaks for themselves to attain personal, legal, social, or public policy goals.
Systemic advocacy – This type of advocacy involves working toward long-term social changes that involve the shared rights and interests of people with disabilities. Usually, the common targets for this advocacy are legislation bodies, policies, and policymakers, as well as practices. The global disability rights movement falls under systemic advocacy (What You Need to Know About Disability Rights Advocates, 2020).
2. Why is advocacy important? First steps
Being an effective advocate is especially important for people with disabilities, since they often face a variety of disability-related concerns to achieve greater personal dignity, choice, and independence. Indeed, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) | United Nations Enable, 2006) as well as the EU Framework for putting CRPD (EU Framework for the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2015) in practice, have granted people with disabilities new rights and protections. However, many attitudinal, economic, social and physical/environmental barriers continue to threaten their full participation in society and for this reason we should continue advocate for the limitation of these barriers.Advocacy, when correctly implemented, serves as an invaluable tool for promoting the rights of people with disabilities. Advocating for something important to you is a great way to get involved and spark change. However, too often young people don’t know where to start regarding an advocacy action/ intervention (McNamara, 2009).
Graphic Source: PIXABAY
A first step to begin with is to start thinking about possible answers to the following questions (Advocacy Toolkit, UNICEF, 2010):
- What is the issue your action is going to address?
- Who cares about this issue? Who is the target /target group?
- What are your long – and short-term goals?
- Who are your allies?
- How are they already organized (or not)?
- What power do they have?
- Who has the power to give you what you want?
- What other targets are involved?
- What are your team/ organizational strengths and weaknesses?
- What resources can your team/ organization contribute?
- How will this action help the target group?
- What tactics can you use to apply your power (e.g. media coverage, petitions, direct actions, boycotts, elections)?
- What internal/external obstacles are in the way?
3. Self-advocacy and Empowerment
Self -advocacy is all about learning how to speak up for yourself, deciding about your own life, learning how to access information so that you can comprehend things that interest you, finding out allies that will support you in your journey, knowing your rights and responsibilities, problem-solving, active listening and learning, connect with others and ask for help when you need it, and finally learning about self-determination (Goodley, 2005). In other words, self-advocacy gives you the ability to have the knowledge needed to succeed and the chance to participate in decisions that are being made about your life (Best Practices in Self-Advocacy Skill Building | Center for Parent Information and Resources, 2018).
Graphic Source: PIXABAY
On the other hand, it is also important to empower other young people, especially young people that tend to be excluded by society e.g. people with disabilities, to learn how to advocate or achieve their own goals. Advocacy, of all kinds, is about acquiring a voice. It is difficult to imagine being empowered without being heard. Advocacy and empowerment are therefore inextricably linked. However, to behave in ways that are empowering implies a commitment not just to listen to people with disabilities, but to act on what they say (Empowerment and Self Advocacy, 2020). There is a multitude of factors that can affect the self-esteem of a person with disability. Even with good intentions, positive initiatives can be undermined by the subtle signals sent to people with disabilities. Such an example is the “superhuman” approach. People with a disability who excel in a particular sport, or area of business or study are often depicted as superheroes rather than as the successful sportspeople, students or business people they are. Portraying the achievements of people with a disability as special or superhuman sets them apart from mainstream society and is to be avoided.
Similarly, it is not uncommon for stories of people with disabilities to be made viral, implying that they are to be pitied for living with such ‘tragedy’. These emotive, ‘tear jerker’ stories sometimes extend to the person’s family or careers, again implying they are ‘martyrs’ for shouldering such a ‘burden’ as having to care for someone with a disability.
Other times, health professionals, educators, advocates, etc. have a strong interference in the lives of people with disabilities, arguing that “they are experts and they know what is best for the needs of the individual.” The skills required helping people decide what they want and make informed choices are different from those involved in telling people what their needs are (Empowerment and Self Advocacy, 2020). So, what can you do to empower a fellow peer with disability? Here are some tips that can help you (Nixon, T., & O’Neil, K. 2015).:
- Complete an assessment to create goals that are suitable and reachable. The assessment is quite necessary in order to create appropriate goals. For example, you need to think about “What are your peer’s strengths?”, “What goals will be most appropriate for him/her?”
- Have a proactive can-do approach! Say to the person, “You can do it,” and believe it yourself as well. Just the words won’t do the trick! you should believe in your peer’s strengths and empower them with your positive energy.
- Get closer to the person’s family and try to empower them as well. This is a very important tip, as some families may feel defeated and struggle more. They may have been told continuously that your peer can’t do this, can’t do that. If this continues, a person can start believing it and feeling defeated. Empowering families and giving them positive feedback and suggestions about their loved ones is a fundamental element for a successful advocacy
- Teach your peer a new skill that will impact them in a positive way (e.g. cooking, singing, new music instrument, etc). It can be very empowering when a person is learning a new skill that can positively affect their lives!
Activity 4.1
| Module Title | Don’t Hesitate, Advocate! |
| Activity Title | Roots and Branches |
| Activity Code | A4.1 |
| Duration of the Activity (in minutes | 10-20 minutes |
| Type of resource | Activity Sheet |
| Aim of activity | Τhe aim of this activity is to assist young people to think through their advocacy intervention idea:
|
| Materials Required for Activity | Note taking materials, pen or pencil, a digital device such as computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone with internet access for the brainstorming phase. |
| Step-by-step instructions | Step 1: Take a blank paper and draw a simple picture of a tree with roots going into the ground and branches leading up to the sky.
Step 2: Νow take some time and think about the issue you want to advocate for. What is the issue your action is going to address? Who cares about this issue? who is the target /target group? Write the issue on the trunk of the tree. Step 3: Now it is time to think about the causes and impact of this issue. The roots represent the root causes of the issue. The branches represent the impact of the issue. An example can be an issue that directly affects you, your peers, your neighborhood, your school, your community or even your region/nation. Main issue (trunk of the tree): Not all the buildings of your school have wheelchair ramp. Ask yourself why does this happen? And write the cause in one of the roots. Continue asking why and brainstorming to go deeper on the roots of this issue and keep filling the roots with various and deeper causes. Now do the same for the impact. What are the effects of this issue? Who is being impacted? How this affect them? Write down the answers in the branches of the tree. Step 4: Now your tree is pretty much ready and you have an overall view of this issue. It is a first step to help you understand your advocacy issue more in depth and it can be connected with the planning of the activity you are thinking to have. This activity is adapted from the activity “Roots and Branches” Bookmarks
|
Activity 4.2
| Module Title | Don’t Hesitate, Advocate! |
| Activity Title | Practice your advocacy |
| Activity Code | A4.2 |
| Duration of the Activity (in minutes | 20-30 minutes |
| Type of resource | Activity Sheet |
| Aim of activity | Τhe aim of this activity is to assist young people to practice on their advocacy skills and work on realistic scenarios, to decide how they would advocate, and then advocate for their case |
| Materials Required for Activity | Note taking materials, pen or pencil, a digital device such as computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone with internet access for the brainstorming phase. |
| Step-by-step instructions | Step 1: Read the following scenarios:
Scenario 1 You have an interview for the job of your dreams. This place has never hired people under the age of 21. How would you advocate to get your dream job? Feel free to create an imaginary job to state your case. Scenario 2 Your local family-run bakery is being pressured by their landlord to sell their business to a big investor. The investor would give both the business owners and the landlord a lot of money, but the owners want to keep the business in the family. How would you advocate on the owner’s behalf?
Step 2: Now for each scenario take a piece of paper, think and write down the answers to the following: Goal:
Step 3: Now continue in the same piece of paper, think and write down about what you need to know in order to plan your advocacy. Plan:
Step 4: Now, write down your thoughts and focus on your arguments and the way you are going to advocate as well as to whom you are going to advocate. Negotiate:
Things to have in mind
This activity is adapted from I am a LEADER toolkit. |
Activity 4.3
| Module Title | Don’t Hesitate, Advocate! |
| Activity Title | Practice your advocacy |
| Activity Code | A4.3 |
| Duration of the Activity (in minutes | 40-50 minutes |
| Type of resource | Activity Sheet |
| Aim of activity | Τhe aim of this activity is to assist young people to practice on their advocacy skills and work on challenges that affect people with disabilities. |
| Materials Required for Activity | Note taking materials, pen or pencil, a digital device such as computer, laptop, tablet or smart phone with internet access for the brainstorming phase. |
| Step-by-step instructions | Step 1: Think and write down
What are the main challenges and barriers faced by people with disabilities in your country? List them on a separate sheet of paper. Step 2: Select from this larger list the top five challenges or barriers facing people with disabilities in your country and write them below. a)_____________________________________________ b)_____________________________________________ c)_____________________________________________ d)_____________________________________________ e)_____________________________________________ Step 3: Take each major challenge or barrier you identified separately and analyze its possible underlying causes. Look at each from as many perspectives you can think of. For example:
Step 4: In this step, it is time to think of the underlying causes identified for each challenge, which seem to be the most significant? Step 5: Now consider these questions about your present and future work:
Step 6: What groups in your community are working on the same challenges you have identified as top priority for people with disabilities? Step 7: Consider these questions about allies and potential allies:
Step 9:. What statistics are available about people with disabilities in your country and in the world (e.g., their numbers, ages, income levels, etc.)? This activity is adapted from I am a LEADER toolkit. |
Additional Learning Resource 4.1
| Module Title: | Don’t Hesitate, Advocate! |
| Title of Resource: | Disability Rights Advocacy Workbook |
| Resource Code: | R4.1 |
| Introduction to the resource: | This workbook was prepared to facilitate advocacy for people with disabilities. Each section of the workbook answers key questions about advocacy by and for people with disabilities that advocates, their communities, and their allies are likely to use. Included at the end of each section are exercises, which will help to deepen your understanding and can be used in training others about advocacy. |
| What will you get from using this resource? | After completing this workbook, you should be able to answer these key questions and explain them to others:
|
| Link to resource: | Disability Rights Advocacy Workbook |
Additional Learning Resource 4.2
| Module Title: | Don’t Hesitate, Advocate! |
| Title of Resource: | Youth Advocacy Toolkit |
| Resource Code: | R4.2 |
| Introduction to the resource: | UNICEF has an exceptional history of advocating to protect and promote children’s and women’s rights. The Advocacy Toolkit stems from this, systematizing and coordinating both internal and external advocacy expertise, as well developing a few innovative approaches. The Toolkit provides a set of practical tools to help UNICEF staff and partners in the development and management of their advocacy work.
The Advocacy Toolkit is applicable for all levels of the organization as a resource for building a structured approach for sustained advocacy. The tools are particularly relevant for UNICEF country offices and national committees, but its content will also be valuable to anyone who wants to expand their understanding of the human rights-based approach to advocacy and how this approach is applied. |
| What will you get from using this resource? | The Advocacy Toolkit provides a broadly accepted definition of advocacy and underscores UNICEF’s unique position and experience in advocacy. The heart of the Toolkit provides detailed steps, guidance and tools for developing and implementing an advocacy strategy. |
| Link to resource: | Youth Advocacy Toolkit |
Additional Learning Resource 4.3
| Module Title: | Don’t Hesitate, Advocate! |
| Title of Resource: | SELF ADVOCACY START-UP TOOLKIT |
| Resource Code: | R4.3 |
| Introduction to the resource: | The Self Advocacy Startup Toolkit has many sections called tools to help you start your own self advocacy group (SARTAC, 2017).
Each tool will have important information with an activity at the end. You can do each activity on your own or together in a group. |
| What will you get from using this resource? | In this toolkit, you will learn about:
|
| Link to resource: | SELF ADVOCACY START-UP TOOLKIT |
Additional Learning Resource 4.4
| Module Title: | Don’t Hesitate, Advocate! |
| Title of Resource: | Media Guidelines For The Portrayal of Disability |
| Resource Code: | R4.4 |
| Introduction to the resource: | These Guidelines are intended to provide practical advice to media on how to promote positive, inclusive images of women and men with disabilities and stimulate a climate of non-discrimination and equal opportunity for disabled persons at all levels of the economy and society. |
| What will you get from using this resource? | In these guidelines, you will learn about the proper way that media can portray disability and how they can help increase awareness throughout society about the realities faced by disabled persons, reduce stereotypes, prejudices and harmful practices, and promote awareness of their capabilities and contributions. |
| Link to resource: | Media Guidelines For The Portrayal of Disability |
Additional Learning Resource 4.5
| Module Title: | Don’t Hesitate, Advocate! |
| Title of Resource: | The 2030 Agenda
THE INCLUSION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES INTRODUCTORY TOOLKIT |
| Resource Code: | R4.5 |
| Introduction to the resource: | This introductory toolkit presents the 2030 Agenda, the political commitment of the UN Member States to replace and build on the Millennium Government Goals which lasted from 2000 to 2015, and covers the goals of 2015-2030 era. |
| What will you get from using this resource? | In this toolkit you will learn more about the importance of persons with disabilities and how they are referenced in the entire 2030 Agenda. |
| Link to resource: | The 2030 Agenda |
For finding out the definition of certain terms with which you may not be familiarised, please read the DARE Practical Guide for Inclusion, the first output DARE project partners developed.
Bibliography
Goodley, D. (2005). Empowerment, self-advocacy and resilience. [online] Accessed 10 July 2020
McNamara, G. (2009). The Concept Of Advocacy For People With Learning Disabilities In Ireland
Sitography
UNICEF, Advocacy Toolkit (2010). [online] Accessed 17 July 2020
Best Practices in Self-Advocacy Skill Building | Center for Parent Information and Resources. (2018). [online] Accessed 28 August 2020
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) | United Nations Enable. (2006) [online]. Accessed 16 December 2020
EU Framework for the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. (2015) [online]. Accessed 16 December 2020
Empowerment and Self Advocacy. (2020) [online]. Accessed 16 December 2020
Nixon, T., & O’Neil, K. (2015). 6 Ways to Empower Foster Youth to Advocate for Themselves. Retrieved 10 July 2020, from SARTAC. (2017). SELF ADVOCACY START-UP TOOLKIT. [online] Accessed 10 July 2020
Waliuya, W. (2010). Disability Rights Advocacy: An advocacy manual for disability rights activists. [online] Accessed 23 August 2020
What You Need to Know About Disability Rights Advocates (2020). [online] Accessed 15 September 2020