Advocacy can sound complicated, but it just means getting help to make your voice heard. It’s about making sure people know what you think and what you want.
Have you ever felt like people aren’t listening to you? Maybe you disagree with a decision made at school, or you want to change how things are going at home. It can be hard to find the right words when you want to change something. This is where advocacy comes in.
What is self-advocacy?
Self-advocacy is when you speak up for yourself. It means you tell people what you need and what’s important to you – nobody knows your thoughts or feelings better than you do!
Examples of self-advocacy include:
- Asking to sit at the front of the classroom because you can’t see the board clearly
- Telling your parents or carers that you’re feeling overwhelmed and need a night to yourself
- Telling your doctor how a medicine makes you feel
- Letting your friends know that you don’t feel comfortable going to a certain place or doing a specific activity
- Talking to your manager about changing your shift hours so you can still study for your exams
- Letting adults know that you want to choose your own clothes or pick the hobbies you join after school
- Asking a shop assistant for help or a refund when an item you bought turns out to be broken
It can be daunting to advocate for yourself at first, but it does get easier with practice!
How Meic can help you speak up
You might want to speak up for yourself, but you don’t know where to start. The team at Meic can help you figure out the best way to do it.
Here are some examples of how we can help you to self-advocate:
Meic can help you plan what you want to say before a big meeting
Big meetings can feel scary, especially when the room is full of adults. You might feel put on the spot or worried that you won’t get a chance to speak. We can work with you beforehand to figure out your main points. Together, we can choose the most important things you want the adults to know. This helps you stay focused on what matters to you, even if the meeting gets a bit overwhelming.
Meic can practice conversations with you so you feel more confident
It can be hard to find the right words when you’re stressed. We can help you prepare for the conversation before you have it for real. You can practice saying your thoughts to us first so your views, wishes and feelings are expressed clearly. It’s a safe space to make mistakes and build up your confidence.
Meic can help you look up information
It’s hard to ask for what you need if you aren’t sure what you’re allowed to ask for. Knowing your rights makes it much easier to stand up for yourself. Laws and rules can be confusing to read, but we can explain them simply. We can help you find out what support you are legally entitled to get at school or in care. When you know the facts, you can stand your ground because you know you are asking for something fair.
When you need someone to speak for you
Sometimes, speaking up for yourself feels like too much. You might feel too upset, or you might worry that adults won’t listen to you. If that happens, Meic can step in and advocate on your behalf – this is what we call Direct Advocacy. This means we can speak to people for you using your own words, to express exactly how you’re feeling. We will never do this without your permission. We will listen to you first to find out exactly what you want to happen.
Here are a few examples of how we can do this:
- At school: If you’re having a hard time with a bully or a difficult lesson, we can talk to your teacher to get things sorted out
- With social workers: If you have a social worker, we can help you tell them your wishes about where you live or who you see
- With health services: We can help you ask a doctor or counsellor the questions you might be too nervous to ask yourself
Get in touch
You don’t have to carry your worries by yourself. Whether you want to speak up or you want us to do it for you, Meic is here.
You can contact us by phone, WhatsApp message, text, or online chat. Meic is free, and we won’t judge you – we’re always on your side. See how Meic can help you.
