Individual Advocacy Services
SNCIL works in the community to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities by removing barriers and focusing efforts on accessibility to public services, education, and benefits. As a CIL, we’re at the forefront of advocating for access, choice, and self-determination for individuals with disabilities. SNCIL can help advocate for the rights of individuals living with any type of disability on both an individual and a systems level.
- Self-advocacy services help people learn to advocate for their individual personal rights. These may include healthcare benefits, access to healthcare and housing, as well as other essential services. Self-advocacy is one of the most important skills anyone can have in their toolkit. SNCIL is dedicated to helping individuals learn to advocate for themselves in order to best maximize their choices and live an independent life.
- Systems Advocacy involves working together to change policies and remove the barriers people living with disabilities face in their everyday lives. SNCIL staff and consumers partner to facilitate system changes, including those related to government policies, transportation, public accommodation, and housing.
Advocacy is one of the core services that centers for independent living provide. SNCIL and all other centers for independent living promote and provide all kinds of advocacy. In addition to meeting in person, we often provide this kind of support via phone and email as well.
Advocacy can be:
Asking for what you want
- Talking to someone who has the power to make a change
- Sending a letter
- Asking to talk to the supervisor or person in charge
Taking an action
- Make a call
- Send an email
- Send a letter – always sign it!
Contacting the media
- Write a letter to the editor
- Write a newsletter article on an issue to inform & mobilize
- Talk to the media (news reporter, radio announcer, etc.)
Talking to a policy maker
- Reaching out to a City Council member, Mayor, State Legislator, and/or U.S. Congress member
- Testifying at public hearings & meetings
Joining a policy-making body
- A governmental council or commission
- An organizational board of directors
Understanding your civil rights
- Learn your rights and responsibilities
- File an appeal or grievance when you don’t agree with a service provider’s decision
- File an ADA complaint with the Nevada Attorney General or U.S. Department of Justice
Getting involved with your favored political party at the local level
- Volunteering on a political campaign gives you access to information and to other people who are like-minded
- Starting or signing a petition
- Joining or organizing a rally, press conference or demonstration
- Register to vote — and vote!
How to Self-Advocate
- Don’t get mad – get passionate
- You don’t have to do it alone – take a friend (or three)
- Compromise is necessary – decide what is negotiable and what is not
- Choose your team. Often, we’ll speak up for someone else before we’ll speak up for ourselves – be a good manager, ask someone else to speak up for you if you can’t do it yourself – that’s still self-advocacy – you’re in charge – you choose who to help you
- Rehearse what you want to say ahead of time; role-play with someone
- Fake it till you make it
- Figure out your strength or the role you’re comfortable with (i.e., go with someone else when they advocate first)
- Keep to the truth – don’t make things up – you need to be believable
- Take a tape recorder if you’re feeling intimidated or scared – you can tape the conversation, but make sure they know they’re being taped
- Know your issue
- Don’t worry about knowing everything – it’s OK to say, “I don’t know either – let me look into that and get back to you.” Then do it, get help if you need to
Start with:
- Something small
- Something you care about
- Family and friends — who may be the easiest or the hardest
- Just start
When dealing with people:
- Ask for their name
- Ask for their supervisor’s name
- Write it down
- Write it down in front of them if possible, so they know you are keeping track
Keep a diary of your actions:
- Names
- Dates
- What you asked for
- What they said they would do — and by what date
- Or what they did to you that was inappropriate
Use basic assertiveness skills:
- Acknowledge their point of view
- State your own case
- Keep to the facts
- Don’t make it personal — keep to the issue
- Avoid name-calling
- Use the “broken record” assertiveness technique — keep repeating what you want
- Avoid using “but”, and use “and” instead
How to handle verbal attacks or scary advocacy situations
These are suggestions from experienced advocates, representing a variety of personality styles:
- Stand your ground
- Stay calm, talk softer, listen to their storm, let them wind down
- Keep to the facts
- Judge who you’re dealing with — different strokes for different folks
- If you’re worried or afraid to meet with someone:
- Take someone with you
- Bring a tape recorder
- Take notes
- Remember, you’re as valuable as they are
- Follow-up with action later (i.e., write a letter, do what you said you would, etc.)
Trainings in self-advocacy for persons with developmental disabilities
Self-advocacy skills for people with developmental disabilities are very important. We provide free training that encourages people with developmental disabilities to speak up so they can make more life choices.
