self – advocacy and people with brain injuries daniel j. keating, phd executive director the...
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Self – AdvocacySelf – Advocacyand People with Brain and People with Brain
InjuriesInjuriesDaniel J. Keating, PhD
Executive DirectorThe Alliance for the Betterment if Citizens with Disabilities
Health Condition Health Condition ((disorder/diseasedisorder/disease))
World Health Organization Interaction of ConceptsWorld Health Organization Interaction of ConceptsICF 2001ICF 2001
Environmental Environmental FactorsFactors
Personal Personal FactorsFactors
Body function&structureBody function&structure (Impairment(Impairment))
ActivitiesActivities(Limitation)(Limitation)
ParticipationParticipation(Restriction)(Restriction)
Self-Advocacy Self-Advocacy
Important in rehabilitation and recoveryCan affect physical healthCan affect emotional healthCan impact quality of lifeEmpowers
What is Self-Advocacy?What is Self-Advocacy?
“‘Advocacy” can mean many things, but in general, it refers to taking action.
Advocacy simply involves speaking and acting on behalf of your self or others.”
Advocacy Tool Kit: Skills and Strategies for Effective Self and Peer Advocacy; Disability Rights Wisconsin, 2008, www.disabilityrightswi.org
What is Self-Advocacy?What is Self-Advocacy?
“Advocacy is a type of problem solving designed to protect personal, and legal rights, and to insure a diversified existence.”
Advocacy Skills; Brain Injury Resource Center; www.headinjury.com/advocacy.htm
What is Self-Advocacy?What is Self-Advocacy?
There are several types of action that a person can take:
◦ System advocacy: taking actions to influence social, political, and economic systems to bring about change for groups of people
◦ Legal advocacy: what lawyers do to establish or protect legal rights
◦ Legislative advocacy: change laws, promote new laws◦ Peer advocacy: taking actions to represent the rights and
interests of someone other than yourself◦ Self-advocacy: taking action to represent and advance your own
interests
Advocacy Skills; Brain Injury Resource Center; www.headinjury.com/advocacy.htm
What is Self-Advocacy?What is Self-Advocacy?
Individual self-advocacy: speaking or acting for oneself and deciding what is best for the individual and taking charge of one’s life by standing up for oneself.Group self-advocacy: individuals join together to advocate for a common cause; Groups can become social outlets for people with disabilities
Brandt, J. Creating a New Self-Advocacy Organization – Imagine the Possibilities, Partnership for People with Disabilities, Virginia Commonwealth University.
What is Self-Advocacy?What is Self-Advocacy?
“People with…disabilities must be able to act as self-advocates, that is: to exercise their rights of basic personhood and citizenship by speaking and standing up for themselves. This means that people must have a voice in decision-making in all areas of their daily life and in public policy decisions affecting them.”
Self-Advocacy, The Arc of the United States, px?piwww.thearc.org/page.asd=2358
Advocacy SkillsAdvocacy Skills
Self advocacy skills can help you avoid or solve problems with family and loved ones, doctors and lawyers, employers, associates, and friends
Advocacy Skills; Brain Injury Resource Center; www.headinjury.com/advocacy.htm
Advocacy SkillsAdvocacy Skills
Self-advocacy skills can help you obtain reasonable and necessary accommodations in both public and private settings; i.e., education, housing, employment, transportation, and taxation.
Advocacy Skills; Brain Injury Resource Center; www.headinjury.com/advocacy.htm
Advocacy SkillsAdvocacy Skills
Self-advocacy skills can help you identify, analyze, and make informed decisions concerning choices one must make. The regular exercise of self-advocacy skills can empower one to gain greater control over one’s life.Advocacy Skills; Brain Injury Resource Center; www.headinjury.com/advocacy.htm
Self-Advocacy PlanSelf-Advocacy Plan
Effective advocacy of any kind requires building a solid strategy or plan and practicing skills to help you feel comfortable and confident in reaching your advocacy goals.
Advocacy Training Manual: Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy, 1986
Self-Advocacy PlanSelf-Advocacy Plan
Break Down the problemEducate yourselfIdentify your rightsDevelop a solution (goal) and strategy to
address your problem
Advocacy Training Manual: Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy, 1986
Self-Advocacy SkillsSelf-Advocacy Skills
Educate oneself about your conditionKeep good recordsProblem solveKeep a positive attitudeBe PersistentThank those who help you
Advocacy Skills; Brain Injury Resource Center; www.headinjury.com/advocacy.htm
Advocacy PlanAdvocacy Plan
Create a Plan:
Statement of the problem◦What would you like to achieve?◦A statement of general purpose or intent
Advocacy PlanAdvocacy Plan
What would you like to achieve?
◦ What are your goals?◦ What is the ideal solution◦ What are compromise solutions
Advocacy PlanAdvocacy Plan
Information available:What Information do you have?What information do you need?
Advocacy PlanAdvocacy Plan
Arguments:What are the arguments that are pro your position?What are the arguments that are con your position?
Advocacy PlanAdvocacy Plan
Step by Step Plan:Who will do what
◦What will you do?◦What will other do?
When will things be done by?◦Establish dates and deadlines
Advocacy PlanAdvocacy Plan
What will you do next if you succeed?
What will you do if you do not succeed?
ConclusionConclusion
Questions???