Definitions/Info
What is self advocacy?
Identifying your strengths, needs and preferences, and communicating those to others.
How can you ask for accommodations in an educational setting?
1. Identify who you need to communicate with
2. Share your need and accommodation required
3. You do not need to disclose your specific disability/diagnosis
What can you do if the professional you are assigned to is not meeting your needs or helping?
1. Communicate with the professional directly about what is not working, what you do need, and how changes/accommodations may necessary to meet your needs.
2. If this is not effective or possible, you can speak to their supervisor to inquire about options for moving forward.
3. You can seek a different professional to see instead.
If you have a question about a task you have been assigned, who can you can ask for clarification/support?
Your manager, or a coworker if appropriate
What are the 3 principles of self advocacy?
1. understanding your needs
2. knowing what kind of support might help
3. communicating these needs to others or asking for support
Asking for extra time on a assignment and a quiet place to do a test are examples of...
Accommodations
You feel invalidated by your family doctor for a specific problem. How can you advocate for yourself?
1. Explain the problem differently to see if they can understand.
2. Ask for support communicating with the doctor (ex. ask your family or a friend to come with you to your appointment).
3. Request to see a different doctor or for a referral to a specialist.
4. Go to a walk in clinic to see a different doctor.
Who would you talk to about receiving accommodations in the work place after being hired?
HR/Human Resources, your manager
What is a need versus an accommodation?
A need is about you: how your brain processes, how you focus, how you express ideas.
An accommodation is the tool or change that helps you succeed by meeting those needs.
Simply put: A need is the reason for an accommodation.
You missed a class due to sickness and now you don’t know what the homework was. What do you do?
Contact the teacher or a classmate to ask for the homework.
__ are important in all healthy relationships. They help us not feel used or disrespected by others and require clear communication to be set,
Boundaries
You don't feel you received enough training to do a task at work. What do you do to advocate for yourself?
1. Communicate with your manager “I don’t feel I got enough training to do this task confidently.”
2. Ask for what you need “Could we go over the process again?” or “Is there someone I could shadow or ask for guidance?”
3. Follow up as necessary
What are some needs you may have in a work or educational setting?
1. Support recognizing when to take a break
2. Help understanding jargon
3. To talk things through to translate thoughts into word
4. Lists or written instructions
5. Support with memory or understanding of spoken info
6. Sensory regulation when overstimulated
7. Difficulty writing processing/expressive challenges)
You don’t agree with the grade a teacher gave you. What do you do?
1. Request a time to discuss the grade one-on-one
2. Share why you feel the grade may not reflect your work
3. Listen to the teacher’s side
4. Talk about next steps, you can ask: “Is there a chance to redo or improve this?"
How can you gain confidence advocating for yourself in high stress situations?
1. Prepare ahead of time (know your abilities, needs and accommodations, prepare scripts if needed)
2. Practice self-regulation and self-care to maintain calm.
3. Communicate clearly and directly what you need and how it will support you.
4. Ask for support advocating if necessary.
5. Practice with small situations to gain confidence and work your way up to high stress situations.
Your workload is overwhelming and your boss asks you to add a new task to your work. How can you advocate for yourself?
Communicate your current abilities and set boundaries.
"I want to make sure I’m able to complete my current tasks on time and at a high standard. With my current workload, I don’t have the capacity to take on more right now. Could we look at prioritizing or possibly shifting something off my plate if this new task is urgent?”
What are some accommodations you may have in a work or educational setting?
1. Scheduled check-ins or visual break cues
2. Translated/simplified emails or explanations
3. Time or space to verbally process ideas with someone
4. Written task breakdowns/visual schedules
5. Record verbal conversations/lessons to review later
6. Wear headphones, access to quiet space
7. Use of a scribe.
You need a scribe in class. How do you advocate for yourself?
Identify your need: difficulty writing/processing verbal input
Identify your accommodation: a scribe
Ask for what you need: "Hi, I just wanted to let you know that I use a scribe to help with writing. Can we make sure that support is available during class lectures?"
Your rent is due on Monday but you don't get paid until Friday. What do you do?
You can ask your family for help.
You can explain the situation to your landlord and ask to delay your rent payment until Friday.
Re-adjust our budget and make a plan to prevent this from reoccurring in the future.
You are running late for work. What do you do?
Communicate with your manager or staff on shift that you are running late and what time you anticipate being there.
Adjust your schedule if necessary to avoid repeating being late.