Advocacy Leadership Skill Area This project is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council (PADDC)

What is advocacy? The act of public support or recommendation of a particular cause The person who does this act is an advocate This is a person who argues for a cause; a supporter or defender: an advocate of civil rights, or one that pleads on another’s behalf

Advocacy at Any Moment Sometimes you can advocate about the little things This could be when you: Need a pencil Can’t see over your classmate Want to stay out later There are different types of advocates Self Peer Systems Legal Although the definition on the slide before suggests that advocacy is some formal act, advocacy can be done at any time – as long as you’re publicly supporting or requesting something. For example, you may need something to complete your project that you do not currently have. By trying to locate and ask for that item, you are advocating for your needs. Just as you can advocate for many different things, you can advocate in many different capacities. A self-advocate is someone who advocates for their own needs, as in the simple example above. The other types of advocates listed above advocate for others. A peer advocate is the simplest version of this, meaning that you could be informally advocating for another’s needs. This may include advocating for a grandparent in a retirement home. A systems advocate is someone who advocates for a cause on a grander scale, one that could change an entire system – such as education. Legal advocates similarly work on a more formal level, but with the specific goal of protecting the legal rights of others.

Important to Keep in Mind Goal Your needs and wants Desires of the other person Plan Be the expert! Negotiate Who does your message need to reach? How will you get it there? Persevere Keep going until you are successful These are four things to keep in mind when trying to advocate for yourself or others. Goal – If you’re advocating for yourself, think about what your needs and wants are and make a goal for yourself. If you’re advocating for others, you have a responsibility to think of their perspective and work with them to create a goal that is best for them. Plan – Whatever you are advocating about, you need to make sure you are an expert. This means really understanding your goal, how you got to making that goal, and all of the options to get there. Negotiate – In advocacy, there always needs to be someone, or many people, that you need to get the message to. Think about who this is and how you will get them to be on your side and help you reach the goal you have set. Persevere – Many times we cannot get what we need on the first time. Typically, advocating means being able to problem solve along the way and keep trying until your goal is met!

Advocacy & Leadership Leaders typically push forward an idea, or guide others towards some goal Advocating can help overcome those who doubt that goal Work towards figuring out alternative paths Advocate your needs and the needs of others If everyone is not in agreeance, or on the same page, the goal may never be reached Much of leadership is based on guiding others towards some collective goal. They are able to do so by utilizing some of their advocacy skills. In analyzing their goals and effectively communicating the plan to others, they are able to get those they need on their side. Leaders emerge not just because they are able to guide those that have similar beliefs, but because they are able to convince those with differing ones. It is essential, in leadership, that you develop the ability to bring people together in order to be successful in your mission or goal

“Yes Way / No Way” Activity We are going to get to know ourselves and each other by answering “yes way” or “no way” to different items The teacher will call out different items (See next slide) Each student will either hold up a “yes way / no way” card, or say their answer aloud Look around the room to see who is alike and who is different

Answer Yes Way or No Way to the following: Puppies Night time The color blue Cookies The color red Salads Cats Waffles Summer Pancakes Winter Ocean Fall Mountains Spring Being with friends Sports Being with family Indoor activities Watching movies Day time

Answer Yes Way or No Way to the following: Watching television Following orders Helping others Rules and structure Making money Free-flowing Planning Working on group projects Spontaneity Working individually Travel Developing new ideas Feeling prepared for a test Helping further develop old ideas Taking risks Working with your hands Having all of the information Being artistic Figuring things out as you go Being consistent and stable Being the head of a group Constantly changing

What did you learn? How quickly were you able to respond to items in the beginning? At the end? What did you notice about other’s responses? Did you learn anything about your classmates? How will learning more about yourself and others help you advocate? How can knowing more about yourself help you at school and work?

“Be My Guide” Activity We are going to work as a team to carry a pencil without making a sound. Break into teams of 2 or 3 Each team choose one person to be blindfolded Once this person cannot see, place an object on the other side of the room The other member(s) of the group must direct that person to the object and guide them to pick it up Take your time and work together. This is not a race!

What did you learn? What was the most difficult part of this activity? What role do you think was most difficult (person guiding or person being guided)? Why? What strategies worked? Which ones did not? How can learning to guide others help you at school and work?