Advocacy For Self

Being your own advocate means that you ask for what you need while respecting the needs of others.

For example, if you are at a store and a clerk ignores you, self-advocacy could be asking in a polite way to be served.

With bullying, learning self-advocacy skills is important as it helps you:

• Obtain what is helpful for you
• Be involved in the decision-making process
• Learn to say “no” and be OK with it
• Respectfully express disagreement or differing opinion
• Help express your ideas to prevent any bullying you’re experiencing

Advocacy skills can empower you to:

• Involve others, especially adults such as parents or teachers
• Gain confidence to take action to stop the bullying and recognize that you have the right to be safe
• Identify what help you need and think of ways you can respond when bullying happens
• Make choices that lead to positive change for you and the bullying situation

If you are being bullied, it’s important to tell someone, especially an adult, you trust. Know that:

• No one ever deserves to be bullied
• You have the right to ask for help to stop the behavior
• Your opinion about what to do is important
• You don’t have to go through the bullying experience alone

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Advocacy and Self-Advocacy | PACERTalks About Bullying, Episode 22

What does it mean to be an advocate for yourself as well as others, and how does that relate to bullying prevention?

Speaking up for oneself, expressing needs, and taking action are essential advocacy tools for youth of all ages. When you know that there are options for regaining control or influencing a difficult situation, you gain the skills and resilience to move through the obstacles that life brings. When you actively participate in learning self-advocacy skills, you are better prepared to resolve problems and understand when a problem requires adult help. Whether it’s a disagreement with a friend or a serious situation like bullying, learning advocacy can change your world.