Tutorial Videos
TLCIL is now beginning to produce tutorial videos for people with disabilities and their allies. We look forward to continually updating this section so check back often for new videos.
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Self-Advocacy
The vidoes in this series deal with self-advocacy generally, in schools, at DSS and in employment.
What is Self-Advocacy?
“An individual’s ability to effectively communicate, convey, negotiate or assert his or her own interests, desires, needs and rights. It involves making informed decisions and taking responsibility for those decisions” (VanReusen et al., 1994).
Tips for Self-Advocacy:
Be Self-Aware
In order to advocate for yourself, you need to know yourself, including your disability. Be prepared to clearly describe your disability. This involves knowing your strengths and your weaknesses.
Know Your Needs
With a clear understanding of your disability, you can assess types of accommodations you may need in order to obtain equal access. The better you know how your disability affects you, the more effective you can be in determining what assistance you need. Evaluate accommodations that you have received in the past, learn about different types of accommodations for your disability category, and assess areas in which you are having difficulty. Don’t be afraid to brainstorm ideas with our staff here at Tri-Lakes Center for Independent Living.
Utilize Support
A person who self-advocates should not feel alone. Good self-advocates know how to ask questions and get help from other people.
Self-Advocacy Videos
Practice Assertiveness
Being assertive does not mean aggressively making demands. It does mean knowing your rights and vocalizing your needs. It involves taking responsibility for your disability and not expecting others to problem solve or make decisions for you.
Develop Self-Confidence
One of the things that can prevent a person from being a strong self-advocate is shame regarding a disability diagnosis. This causes a person to hide their disability and avoid asking for assistance that is needed. Studying about the disability civil rights movement, learning about disability from a diversity or cultural perspective, finding peer support among other people with disabilities and learning to value the strengths you have developed as a result of having a disability can all assist you in gaining self-confidence. Having a disability is nothing to be ashamed of, neither is requesting accommodations that allow you to have equal access.