Self-Advocacy

1
Self-Advocacy Self-Determination

• Mike Walker
• UNIV1011 University Success
• November 22, 2007

2
Next Thursdays Class . . .

• Diversity Presentation
• Read Chapter 9 Relating to Others Communicating
  in a Diverse World
• Evaluations
• Complete the LASSI Second Administration
• Remember to use your Student Key - e.g. Mi12345W
• School Number is 75658
• Distribute Peer Evaluations
• Complete UNIV-1011 class evaluation
• Complete class/instructor evaluation

3
Peer Activity for End of Class

• Introduce yourself your type
• Indicate the broad career clusters which were
  identified for you by Type Focus Career
• Answer the following questions
• Were your previous career choices identified?
• Was there a career path identified that you never
  thought of before that interested or excited you?
• From your perspective,
• What was the most satisfying job or volunteer
  position that you have had to date?
• If there was nothing in my way, my dream job
  would be

4
Activity

• What is Advocacy?
• think about the words advocate and advocacy and
  their possible meanings - write down your
  thoughts definitions
• check the definitions in your dictionary or use
  the on-line dictionary at Merriam-Webster
  (www.m-w.com)
• So what is self- advocacy?
• jot down your definition

5
What is Self-Advocacy?

• advocate (verb) - to speak or write in favour of
  defend recommend
• advocate (noun) - one who pleads the cause of
  another an intercessor
• (Funk Wagnalls Standard Dictionary)
• Therefore, a self-advocate is one who pleads
  ones own cause.

6
What is Self-Advocacy?

• Identifying what you need and being able to act
  to get/achieve it.
• Self-advocacy may be rooted in need or in
  rights and may be expressed by any of the
  advocacy movements.
• Based on the concept of fairness not want.
• Although self-advocacy is a personal quest, the
  practice of self-advocacy may result in becoming
  an advocate for others.

7
Concept of Need Maslows Hierarchy

• Maslow identified and classified the nature of
  human need in his hierarchy.

8
For what Need might you self-advocate?

• At school
• extra help from a professor
• an OSAP appeal
• a concession from a roommate (quiet, study time,
  etc.)
• a study partner
• a concession due to an illness or unexpected
  event

• At work/in life
• help around the house
• respect from family or colleagues
• a job/position
• a raise or benefit
• equal treatment
• freedom from harassment or discrimination

9
Traits of a Self-Advocate

• an awareness of ones strengths and limitations
• a sense of purpose/sense of fairness or
  justice/strength of conviction
• an ability seek out information, resources or
  resource persons
• an ability to problem solve
• an ability to argue ones case clearly with
  controlled emotion

10
Mikes Self-Advocacy Model
11
Steps in Mikes Model of Self-Advocacy

• Identification
• realization of a need for help/action
• Meta-awareness
• evaluation of personal skills/abilities
• Advocacy training
• help in areas of personal non-strength
• Practicing self-advocacy
• applying these skills in your life
• Becoming an advocate
• using these skills to help others

12
Self-Determination

• Based on a presentation by
• Bigaj, Kosko Smith, 2000

13
Self-Determination

• Knowing what you want and being able to get it
• Self-determination may be rooted in desire and
  may be expressed by many of the
  success/motivational movements.
• Based on the concepts of goal setting, planning,
  and acquiring skills/knowledge.

14
A Definition of Self-Determination

• The ability to define and achieve goals based on
  a foundation of knowing and valuing oneself.
• Examples
• learning self-confidence
• defending your position
• problem-solving
• making tough decisions
• being a causal agent
• in ones life

15
Why practice Self-Determination?

• Successful, self-determined persons
• understand and accept their limitations
• are proactive and reduce stress
• are persistent and focused on goals
• use support systems
• capitalize on strengths
• find creative ways to compensate and problem solve

16
Applying Self-Determination to get what you Want

• At school
• goal setting
• using school resources/persons
• planning graduation (academic advisor)
• planning for a career/post-graduate work
• identifying and developing desired skills

• At work/In life
• goal setting
• life-long education
• career planning
• financial planning
• using community/ human resources
• planning for family, home, retirement
• planning for travel, quality time, etc.

17
Self-Determination Skills

• Self knowledge
• Choice making
• Problem solving
• Decision making
• Self-advocacy or leadership
• Goal setting and attainment

• Independence
• Risk-taking and safety
• Self-regulation
• Reflection (self-observation evaluation)
• Negotiation and interpersonal communication

18
Taking Risks.

• I have missed over 9,000 shots in my career.
• I have lost almost 300 games.
• 26 times I have been trusted to take the game
  winning shot and missed.
• I have failed over and over again in my life, and
  that is why I succeed.
• Michael Jordan

19
Model of Self-Determination
See the complete model
20
What is your Attribution Style?

• How do your beliefs affect
• Self-Advocacy
• Self-Determination?

21
Attribution Style

• To what factors do you attribute your successes
  or your failures
• How you perceive these factors that may be the
  cause of life events is considered to be your
  Locus of Control
• Internal Locus of Control
• External Locus of Control

22
Locus of Control

• Internal LOC
• one would perceive him/herself as responsible for
  certain occurrences.
• his or her actions would have a direct bearing on
  the result.
• External LOC
• one would most often blame (or thank) fate,
  destiny, luck, society or some other force beyond
  his/her control.

23
Pre Class Activity

• Learn about your Attribution Style.
• Visit this web site and complete the Locus of
  Control inventory
• http//www.mcgrawhill.ca/college/feldmanPower/ch01
  /locus.mhtml
• or
• http//www.dushkin.com/connectext/psy/ch11/survey1
  1.mhtml
• Record your score
• Go to the next page to compare your results

24
What does your LOC Score Mean?

• 0-15 Very strong external locus of control.
• 20-35 External locus of control.
• 40-60 Both external internal locus of
  control.
• 65-80 Internal locus of control.
• 85-100 Very strong internal locus of control.
• The theory suggests that a student with a
  stronger Internal Locus of Control may take more
  responsibility for his/her learning and success.

25
According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology,
people with an External LOC

• blame outside circumstances for their mistakes
  and
• credit their successes to luck rather than to
  their own efforts
• are readily influenced by the opinions of others
  and
• are more likely to pay attention to the status of
  the opinion-holder

26
According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Psychology,
people with an Internal LOC

• take responsibility for their actions
• are not easily influenced by the opinions of
  others and
• pay more attention to the content of the opinion
  regardless of who holds it
• tend to do better at tasks when they can work at
  their own pace

27
Your Locus of Control

• Therefore, the theory also implies that your
  success in self-advocacy and self-determination
  will also depend on your belief in yourself and
  your ability to affect change.
• For more info, check out these links
• Locus of Control from theGale Encyclopedia of
  Psychology
• www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_g2699/is_0005/a
  i_2699000535
• Attribution Theory Training fromWest Virginia
  University
• http//www.as.wvu.edu/sbb/comm221/chapters/attrib
  .htm

28
At your fingertips . . .

• Our text book is a guide to self-advocacy and a
  tool of self-determination,
• from Welcome to Your Post-Secondary Career,
  Chapter 1
• Reread reaffirm your purpose
• to self-awareness (values, goals, learning
  styles, relating to others, career)
• to Creating Your Life, Chapter 12

29
Activity

• Reflect on what we have covered so far in class
  what you have learned about yourself
• consider your experience, goals, inventories,
  LASSI, etc.
• Complete the Wheel of Life on page 55 of your
  textbook
• How well does your wheel roll?
• What do you need to do to achieve balance?
• How can you do this?

30
Maslow common characteristics of the
Self-Actualized personality

• Identification with Humanity
• Deep Interpersonal Relationships
• Democratic Character Structure
• Strong Ethics
• Unhostile Sense of Humor
• Creativeness
• Resistance to Enculturation

• Efficient Perception of Reality
• Acceptance of Self and Others
• Spontaneity
• Problem Centering
• Need for Privacy
• Autonomy
• Continued Freshness of Appreciation
• Peak Experiences (feelings of intense happiness
  and well being)

For more on Maslows self-actualization
visit www.itp.edu/about/abraham_maslow.cfm
Source Online www.dushkin.com/connectext/psy/ch1
1/table11b.mhtml
31
Peer Activity for End of Class

• Introduce yourself your type
• Indicate the broad career clusters which were
  identified for you by Type Focus Career
• Answer the following questions
• Were your previous career choices identified?
• Was there a career path identified that you never
  thought of before that interested or excited you?
• From your perspective,
• What was the most satisfying job or volunteer
  position that you have had to date?
• If there was nothing in my way, my dream job
  would be

32
To close

• Last fall, I spent two days at consortium meeting
  and conference for educators of students w/LDs
• Rick Lavoie spoke
• Quoted a research study by Raskind et al. which
  he had recently reviewed for LDOnline
• Some thoughts onSUCCESS!
• http//www.ldonline.org/lavoie/7280

33
Factors influencing adult success

• Setting goals planning
• Understanding self
• Courage perseverance
• Control proactivity
• Emotional coping strategies
• Self-advocacy
• Support systems

34
Acronym spells

• Setting goals planning
• Understanding self
• Courage perseverance
• Control proactivity
• Emotional coping strategies
• Self-advocacy
• Support systems

35
Research Summary states

• These factors have a greater influence on adult
  success and happiness than gender, socioeconomic
  status, ethnicity, academic skill or IQ.
• (Raskind et al, 1999)

36
Next Thursdays Class . . .

• Diversity Presentation
• Read Chapter 9 Relating to Others Communicating
  in a Diverse World
• Evaluations
• Complete the LASSI Second Administration
• Remember to use your Student Key e.g. Mi12345W
• School Number is 75658
• Distribute Peer Evaluations
• Complete UNIV-1011 class evaluation
• Complete class/instructor evaluation