Educate Yourself to Advocate for Change
/I recently attended a professional communications conference where I gave a half-day workshop on How to create a crisis communications plan. Even though I’ve worked in public relations for over 25 years, I still get excited about speaking at and attending conferences. Why? Because of the new learnings I can implement with my clients and the relationships I form.
In talking about the work that I do, the topic of advocacy came up. A common comment I heard – wow, I don’t even know how to get started. What made you become an advocate?
My answer – passion. Passion for my child, passion for kids with disabilities and passion for wanting to see a change in how these kids are supported.
Learn, grow, advocate
In terms of how I go started – it began with education. It’s an ongoing process of listening, asking questions, seeking out learning opportunities and continuing to grow my knowledge base.
I get this can be overwhelming. But it doesn’t need to be.
It’s not about formal education (although some may choose this route). Rather, it’s looking for the opportunities to expand your understanding of a topic of interest to help in your advocacy journey.
For me, I’m always trying to learn more about ADHD, anxiety and autism. I’ve signed up for workshops on sensory processing disorder, watched countless TED Talks by people with lived experience, follow YouTubers who share their story and more.
Sometimes my learning is a short 5-minute video by How to ADHD or Dr. Shelley Moore while I’m making supper. It doesn’t need to be complicated.
The benefits of these short learning moments:
Better understanding of how to support my child
More tools in my toolbox as a parent
Ability to have conversations from a place of knowledge (less ability for gaslighting)
Advocating for change based on facts, not just emotion
Becoming an educated ally
Knowledge is power
The best benefit - I’m helping my kids gain important self-advocacy skills.
Many times, they’ve walked into the kitchen while I’m watching a YouTube video or heard me get excited when Dr. Shelley Moore drops her new episode. I often share nuggets of information with them. I make learning and advocacy part of our dinnertime conversation. The cool part is when my teenager (quietly) follows advocates on Instagram.
It’s hard to advocate for change when you don’t have all the facts. Whether it’s students’ rights set out in the Education Act, simple accommodations that can have a big impact or how to spot and avoid triggers, the more knowledge you have, the better equipped you’ll be to advocate for change.
Start small
Before you start, be clear on the time you have to commit and your priorities for learning. What works best for you? Is it listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos, joining Facebook groups, reading books, attending conferences? The list of opportunities is endless. Be clear on your learning style so you’ll stay motivated vs drained.
Then zero in on topics you want to learn more about. For me, I started with learning about sensory processing disorder (mainly because a local occupational therapist had developed a short Zoom based workshop). From there, I further explored the lightbulb moments that helped explained some of my child’s struggles.
Once I felt knowledgeable about the subject, I looked for resources to share with our school. In learning about how florescent lights can be triggering (and just annoying for many students), I went to our Parent Advisory Council. I was able to get funding for the school to buy light covers. I also met with the principal and resource teacher to share some of my learnings.
Over the next few years, our school not only had light covers in many classrooms, but also a sensory calming space (room with dim lights, seating options, fidget toys and more). Staff also received training on how to reduce unnecessary stimulation in classrooms (noise, lights, busy walls and more).
Was all of this change the result of my education? No. But through my learning, I was able to come to the table asking the right questions and educate others. From there, other parents got involved, the school championed the cause and some meaningful change was made. Yes, it took time and patience, but change did happen.
I encourage you to create a learning plan for yourself.
What areas are you passionate about?
How do you like to learn?
What are your knowledge gaps or areas you want to dig deeper?
How can you share this knowledge?
Who can you partner with for change?
And the best part, we’re always learning. It’s a lifelong journey that continues to bring new lessons, discoveries and ideas to create positive change.
As a mom and advocate, I’m excited about continuing my own personal learning. I want to be part of creating positive change for my kids and other kids who deserve support.
