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Learn what Self Advocacy is
What is Self Advocacy?
Watch the below video to learn about Self Advocacy.
Self advocacy is people with disability joining together to speak up and make change on issues important to them.
A lot of people think that Self Advocacy is just about someone speaking up in their own life, but it is more than that.
The ‘Self’ in Self Advocacy means the advocacy work is done by people with disability.
Self Advocacy is NOT people without disability doing advocacy work for them.
Who is Self Advocacy for?
Around the world, the Self Advocacy movement is led by and for people with intellectual disability.
This is important because people with intellectual disability’s voices are often left out of the wider disability rights movement.
Here in Australia, the Self Advocacy movement has grown to also be for:
- People with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
- People with complex communication support needs
This is because these voices are also often not heard or listened to.
What is the Self Advocacy Movement?
Self Advocacy is a disability rights movement led by people with disability.
It started in 1969 in Sweden and then spread around the world.
A rights movement is when people around the world work together to:
- speak up about shared human rights issues
- take action and
- make change
What are Self Advocacy Groups?
Self advocacy groups are led by people with disability, who work together to speak up, take action, and make change on issues that affect their communities.
There are lots of different Self Advocacy Groups in Australia.
Click to go find Self Advocacy Groups
What is National Self Advocacy Day?
National Self Advocacy Day is a day to celebrate self advocacy across Australia.
It is held every year in October, on the 2nd Wednesday.
