1. Self-Advocacy For High School and Beyond
Parent Advisory Council Presentation
Self-Advocacy For High School and Beyond

2. Why Are We Here?
Parents & Teachers Talking Together (PT3) Session last year identified 4 priorities within Special Education
Self-advocacy
Welcoming Environment
Parent Mentoring
Professional Development
Action Teams for Partnership were formed to address the needs
The Self-advocacy team developed tonight’s program to
Help special education students and parents understand the importance of self-advocacy behavior
Provide practical self-advocacy tips to students
Help parents learn how to encourage self-advocacy

3. Parent Advisory Council Presentation
What is Self-Advocacy?
Self-advocacy is the ability to effectively communicate and appropriately pursue one’s needs, rights & desires
In other words, Sticking Up For Yourself

4. Who Needs Self-Advocacy?
Parent Advisory Council Presentation
Who Needs Self-Advocacy?
Everyone needs self-advocacy!!!
Self-advocacy is a critical life skill
Many people struggle to self-advocate
Especially important for people with special needs due to:
extra needs
society’s lack of understanding
potential challenges communicating needs
Powerful tool to deal with bullying

5. When is Self-Advocacy Needed?
Parent Advisory Council Presentation
When is Self-Advocacy Needed?
Self-advocacy isn’t just for school or the IEP process
Self-advocacy serves you throughout your whole life
What do you do when?
A doctor isn’t listening to your concerns?
You need time off from work for an important appointment?
You’re trying to choose a good college fit? A good job fit?
The waiter brings you the wrong meal?
A peer is pressuring you to do something unhealthy?
Someone is bullying you?
Your teacher forgets you need accommodations?
Your teacher posts the wrong grade?
You don’t understand a class and need to ask for help?
Click per example

6. Why is Self-Advocacy Needed?
You’re in charge of your life.
Once you leave high school, you lose much of your formal support.
Independence is the goal

7. Self-Advocacy Framework
Know yourself
Know what you need
Know how to get it

8. Parent Advisory Council Presentation
Know Yourself
Know yourself
Know what you need
Know how to get it
Understanding yourself is the foundation for self-advocacy
Know your strengths
Understand your disability/challenge
Know the terminology
Research your condition
Read your IEP and evaluations
Understand how your condition impacts different situations
Examine what has & hasn’t worked for you in past
Ask for feedback
Knowledge is power

9. Know What You Need Know yourself Know what you need Know how to get it
You can’t ask for something if you don’t know what you need
Interventions, accommodations, modifications
Information
Extra help or support academically or socially
Advice
Change in behavior
Remember we all need different things to be successful

10. Parent Advisory Council Presentation
Know How to Get It
Know yourself
Know what you need
Know how to get it
Be prepared. Make a plan. Practice!
Believe in yourself. If that’s too hard, fake it!
Communicate your needs
Choose communication method
Clearly describe problem
Have a solution
Explain the reasons why
Be persistent. Follow-up.
Understand you won’t always get what you want
Be prepared to negotiate or give alternatives
Listen, stay factual, & remain calm
Don’t be afraid to be uncomfortable

11. Parent Advisory Council Presentation
Student Experiences
Who are you, including learning challenge
Give an example of a time you needed something
Explain what you did to get it
How has this impacted your life? – Nick
How does sticking up for yourself? - Hannah

12. Self-Advocacy Tips What did we just hear? Know yourself
Know what you need
Know how to get it
What did we just hear?

13. Self-advocacy & Bullying
Bullying isn’t new.
Key things to remember:
No one deserves to be bullied.
You are not alone, it just feels that way.
High school doesn’t last forever.
You can’t control the situation but you can control your reaction
Different approaches work for different people.
Ignore the bully and walk away.
Protect yourself.
Take charge of your life. 
Know that bullies have their own problems.
Talk about it. 

14. Parent Advisory Council Presentation
How Parents Can Help
Model appropriate advocacy behavior!
Start early.
Encourage self awareness. Openly discuss child’s disabilities & rights.
Share information
Require involvement. Involve them in IEP, etc.
Reframe your desire to help your kids.
Let kids help themselves.
Don’t do anything for them they can do themselves.
Do it jointly as an intermediate step.

15. Parent Advisory Council Presentation
How Parents Can Help
Coach/Help/Encourage:
Communicate needs & wants, strengths & weaknesses.
Role play
Practice in real world
Set appropriate & realistic goals
Prepare for a range of realistic outcomes
Engage in problem solving
Find a supporter or coach
Believe in them, and help them believe in themselves
Celebrate success.
Stay positive!

16. Adult Experiences

17. Welcoming Environment Parent Advisory Council Group
Parent Advisory Council Presentation
Welcoming Environment Parent Advisory Council Group
Goals of the “Welcoming Environment” Group
Build self-advocacy skills.
Empower and encourage students to get involved.
Provide “tools and resources” to navigate this process.
Promote student and parent engagement.
How to Join a Club or Activity at School…
Flow Chart
Student Template: “How to join a club or activity”
Screen Recording Demo: “How to join a club or activity”

18. Log onto your school's website.
F l ow Ch a r t
Step 1:
Log onto your school's website.
Click on "Activities" heading located on the menu bar to view a list of activities, clubs and sponsors.
Step 2:
Read through the list of activities to find one that sounds intersting. Look for the sponsor's name and write it down.
Step 3:
Next, go to "Parent Resources" located on the menu bar and select "Staff Directory."
Step 4:
Find the sponsor's name and select "Send an " to them for information relating to that activity (such as meeting times and locations.)
Step 5:

19. Student Template CLUB/ACTIVITY 1 CLUB/ACTIVITY 2 CLUB/ACTIVITY 3
CLUB/ACTIVITY 1
CLUB/ACTIVITY 2
CLUB/ACTIVITY 3
WHO IS SPONSOR/COACH?
WHAT SEASON OR ALL YEAR?
ARE THERE TRY-OUTS?
HOW OFTEN DO THEY MEET?
HOW LONG IS THE MEETING/PRACTICE?
WHERE DO THEY MEET?
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS SHOULD I JOIN?
DO I KNOW ANYONE ALREADY IN THE ACTIVITY OR INTERESTED IN JOINING WITH ME?

20. Screen Recording

21. Questions & Answers

22. Parent Advisory Council Presentation
Thanks for Coming
Self-Advocacy
Welcoming Environment
Karen Schwartzwald
District Special Education Coordinator
Mary Cottone
Lisa Dalke
Marcia Perkins
Danielle McCarthy
District Coordinator of Guidance Services
Theresa Collins
Linda Sevilla