ADVOCACY at its BEST!

ADVOCACY at its BEST!

ADVOCACY at its BEST!

Washington’s Personal Advocates W.P.A. Washington’s Personal Advocates W.P.A.

Disability Rights Washington Disability Rights Washington

Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview

• What is a Successful Advocate

• Advocate’s Action Plan

• Individual Advocacy and Group Advocacy

Information we will be covering todayInformation we will be covering today

The presenters of Advocacy at it’s Best

are not attorneys. This presentation gives general information as a public

service only and is not legal advice. If you need legal advice you should contact an attorney for assistance. ____________________________________________ Permission to reproduce this publication is granted by the

authors provided that the publication is distributed free of

charge and with credit to the original authors.

Please notify original authors of use of this publication. Thank you.

The presenters of Advocacy at it’s Best

are not attorneys. This presentation gives general information as a public

service only and is not legal advice. If you need legal advice you should contact an attorney for assistance. ____________________________________________ Permission to reproduce this publication is granted by the

authors provided that the publication is distributed free of

charge and with credit to the original authors.

Please notify original authors of use of this publication. Thank you.

Different Types of AdvocacyDifferent Types of Advocacy

ADVOCACYis problem

solving

ADVOCACYis problem

solving

INDIVIDUALINDIVIDUAL

GROUP GROUP

Advocacy- Can happen in many

different ways, either individually or in a group. Advocacy- Can happen in many

different ways, either individually or in a group.

Becoming a Self Advocate can build self confidence, and develop personal strength and the ability to advocate and speak up for personal rights and make personal choices.

Becoming a Self Advocate can build self confidence, and develop personal strength and the ability to advocate and speak up for personal rights and make personal choices.

Members of an advocacy group can help each other to speak up. They know each other well and understand the different types of support people needed to be successful advocates.

Members of an advocacy group can help each other to speak up. They know each other well and understand the different types of support people needed to be successful advocates.

Group AdvocacyGroup Advocacy

Individual AdvocacyIndividual Advocacy

Do You Ever Ask Yourself – Can I Become A Successful Advocate?

Do You Ever Ask Yourself – Can I Become A Successful Advocate?

The answer is - Yes!!

The answer is - Yes!!

“You have the ability to become

an Advocate and share what drives your passion to affect change.” William Fale

“You have the ability to become

an Advocate and share what drives your passion to affect change.” William Fale

What makes an Advocate?

What makes an Advocate?

• Objectiveness • Independence• Sensitivity and Understanding• Persistence and Patience • Knowledge and Judgment • Assertiveness • Ethics and Respect for Others

• Objectiveness • Independence• Sensitivity and Understanding• Persistence and Patience • Knowledge and Judgment • Assertiveness • Ethics and Respect for Others

What Makes a Successful Advocate.

• Pick an issue that you are passionate about and want to advocate for.

• Develop an Advocacy Action Plan.• Be sure you are able to share positive and reliable

information. • Seek out people who can help you solve the

problems.• Decide what strategies will you use to solve the

problems.

What Makes a Successful Advocate.

• Pick an issue that you are passionate about and want to advocate for.

• Develop an Advocacy Action Plan.• Be sure you are able to share positive and reliable

information. • Seek out people who can help you solve the

problems.• Decide what strategies will you use to solve the

problems.

Tip- You may choose to advocate with a group of people - it may increase the advocacy efforts.

Tip- You may choose to advocate with a group of people - it may increase the advocacy efforts.

Advocacy Goal SettingProviding a sense of achievement

Advocacy Goal SettingProviding a sense of achievement

• Be specific.• Have a target date for completion.• Have a means of measuring achievement. • Be realistic (can it be done?)• Have support from people willing to work with

others to reach the goals.• Check to be sure the goals are relevant to the people

involved.• Identify the actions and reactions to reach the goals.

• Be specific.• Have a target date for completion.• Have a means of measuring achievement. • Be realistic (can it be done?)• Have support from people willing to work with

others to reach the goals.• Check to be sure the goals are relevant to the people

involved.• Identify the actions and reactions to reach the goals.

Action Plan Tips: Action Plan Tips:

• Assess the problem • Break down goal into smaller pieces

• Gather information and resources

• Choose advocacy strategies • Give yourself a timeline • Write down your results and evaluate your

progress

• Assess the problem • Break down goal into smaller pieces

• Gather information and resources

• Choose advocacy strategies • Give yourself a timeline • Write down your results and evaluate your

progress

Advocacy Action Plan (AAP)(Steps on what to advocate for)

Advocacy Action Plan (AAP)(Steps on what to advocate for)

Break down Gather Information Strategies Timeline Results

Goal: & Resources

Goal - What to advocate for:Goal - What to advocate for:

Date:Date:

Tip- be sure to fill out this form if your goal changes each time. It will provide you step by step directions to reach your advocacy goal with a positive result.

Tip- be sure to fill out this form if your goal changes each time. It will provide you step by step directions to reach your advocacy goal with a positive result.

Next step Next step Next step Reach for your advocacy goal.

Helps YouDo What You

Say and What You

Want.

Helps YouDo What You

Say and What You

Want.

Answers YourQuestions

Answers YourQuestions

Suggests Ideas,but You Directthe Decision.

Suggests Ideas,but You Directthe Decision.

NO BUDDY DOES IT ALONE!How can I tell if someone supports my advocacy efforts?

Listens CloselyTo What You Say

and What YouWant.

Listens CloselyTo What You Say

and What YouWant.

A person is supportingyou when that person:

A person is supportingyou when that person:

Waits to GiveAdvice Until

You Ask For It.

Waits to GiveAdvice Until

You Ask For It.

Talks Too Muchor Talks Over

You.

Talks Too Muchor Talks Over

You.

Doesn’t AskYou WhatYou Want.

Doesn’t AskYou WhatYou Want.

Doesn’t ThinkAbout What You

Want.

Doesn’t ThinkAbout What You

Want.

How can I tell if someone is not supporting my advocacy efforts?

Criticizes orDismisses Your

Ideas.

Criticizes orDismisses Your

Ideas.

A person is NOT supporting

you when that person:

A person is NOT supporting

you when that person:

Makes Your Decisions For

You.

Makes Your Decisions For

You.

Advocacy can be used for problem solving to:

Advocacy can be used for problem solving to:

• Protect rights;• Stop discrimination;• Prevent abuse;• Ensure fair, equal and humane treatment;• Improve service;• Gain eligibility to services;• Change the amount or quality of services;• Make sure services meet the needs of an individuals;• Remove barriers which prevent access to full

participation in community life.

Step 5The result – Change!

Great work!

Step 5The result – Change!

Great work!

Step 4This is just the

beginning – Let’skeep working

together to solveproblems.

Step 4This is just the

beginning – Let’skeep working

together to solveproblems.

Step 3Then let’s come

together and compare our

Action Plans.

Step 3Then let’s come

together and compare our

Action Plans.

Advocacy Problem Solving Techniques Advocacy Problem Solving Techniques

What Are Someof Your

Techniques?

What Are Someof Your

Techniques?

Step 2Discuss as a group how to solve

the advocacy problem and Fill in the Advocacy Action Plan

Step 2Discuss as a group how to solve

the advocacy problem and Fill in the Advocacy Action Plan

Step1Look at the problem

as a group.

Step1Look at the problem

as a group.

Advocacy Resources

Thank You for attending our presentation!Disability Rights WashingtonAdvocacy Strategies – Building a Community Planhttp://www.disabilityrightswa.org/2009-publication-pdf/self-advocacy/list-of-self-advocacy-self-help-information-sheets

Brain Injury Resource Centerhttp://www.headinjury.com/advocacy.htm

TBI Washingtonhttp://www.tbiwashington.org/peopleandfamilies/families_advocacy_fact_sheet.shtml

Disability Rights WisconsinAdvocacy Tool Kit: Skill for Effective Self and Peer Advocacyhttp://www.disabilityrightswi.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/advocacy-tool-kit-2007.pdf

Questions & AnswersQuestions & Answers

Q &A

Contact us

WASHINGTON’S PERSONAL ADVOCATES

William Fale

11401 3rd Avenue South EastBuilding O Unit 09Everett, Washington 98208

425-343-4507 voice425-348-2968 fax

wheels.612@juno.com

WASHINGTON’S PERSONAL ADVOCATES

William Fale

11401 3rd Avenue South EastBuilding O Unit 09Everett, Washington 98208

425-343-4507 voice425-348-2968 fax

wheels.612@juno.com

W.P.A.W.P.A.

DISABILITY RIGHTS WASHINGTON

Betty Schwieterman

315 5th Avenue South, Ste 850Seattle, Washington 98104

1-800-562-2702 voice1-800-957-0728 TTY

bettys@dr-wa.orgwww.disabilityrightswa.org

DISABILITY RIGHTS WASHINGTON

Betty Schwieterman

315 5th Avenue South, Ste 850Seattle, Washington 98104

1-800-562-2702 voice1-800-957-0728 TTY

bettys@dr-wa.orgwww.disabilityrightswa.org

We are available to do other presentations, please ask us for details. We are available to do other presentations, please ask us for details.