34 Self-Advocacy

Awareness of the successive concepts surrounding the teaching and support of self-advocacy, self-determination and self-empowerment for individuals can lead to improved long-term outcomes and independence. With strong self-determination (i.e., strength in self-awareness, self-advocacy, self-efficacy, decision making, self-evaluation, and ability to adjust), an improved ability to establish and achieve goals can be observed or obtained for individuals with disabilities. Further, strength in self-determination contributes to improved self-empowerment (i.e., positive perspectives, belief and contribution to end goals, belief in ourselves) and greater long-term outcomes. In order to accomplish these skills, foundational understanding and assessment of self-advocacy skills is paramount.

What

Self-advocacy refers to individuals with disabilities being able to choose and express choices for themselves. As for anyone, it is important to exercise choice and control over their own lives and be able to make decisions without needed interference or influence of others. Individuals with disabilities have the right to make informed decisions and take responsibility for those decisions. Acting as a successful self-advocate involves knowing when and how to ask for help as well as what kinds of help to ask for to achieve one’s goals.

Why

Self-advocacy allows individuals to be treated equally and within their rights to take responsibility and make choices for their own lives.

Things to Remember:

• Self-advocacy starts with self-awareness. Individuals with ASD need to be aware of their own strengths and challenges and how those characteristics affect their interaction with other people and the environment. Individuals with ASD can benefit significantly from support by parents, professionals and others in identifying their unique sets of personal strengths and talents.
• Areas of strong interest to individuals with ASD often provide ideas regarding important opportunities for gaining specialized knowledge and skills useful and applicable to the future success in higher education and career development.
• Assistance with development and support in rehearsal of self-advocacy scripts and strategies for use in a variety of settings can be particularly helpful to individuals with ASD.
• Initial and ongoing assessment of areas of strength, experiences, interests, skills, and available general and disability-specific resources will help support discussions, training, and planning forward for individuals with ASD. Resources such as those offered through the LifeCourse Framework (Missouri Family to Family, 2015) can facilitate this assessment and planning.

References/Resources:

The Arc: www.thearc.org

Ask and Tell: Self-Advocacy and Disclosure for People on the Autism Spectrum (2004): Ruth Elaine Joyner, Hane Kassiane Sibley, Stephen Shore, Roger N. Meyer, Phil Schwarz , Liane Holliday Willey | ISBN-1931282587

Beyond the Wall: Second Edition (2003): Steven Shore| ISBN-1931282196

Charting the LifeCourse (2017): University of Missouri–Kansas City Institute for Human Development, Missouri’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Services (UCEDD) Available from: https://www.lifecoursetools.com/

Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE): www.sabeusa.org