Publications


Self-Advocacy


Title: Advocating Change Together
Link: http://www.selfadvocacy.com
Description: Advocating Change Together (ACT) is a grassroots disability rights organization run by and for people with developmental and other disabilities. ACT's mission is to help people across disabilities to see themselves as part of a larger disability rights movement and make connections to other civil and human rights struggles. ACT distributes tools and materials that help individuals and groups promote self-advocacy in their lives and work.

Title: Kids As Self-Advocates
Link: http://www.fvkasa.org
Description: Kids As Self Advocates (KASA) empowers youth to learn how to advocate for themselves and others through better knowledge of school, health care, technology and other current issues related to youth. It connects an online community of youths with disabilities making a difference.

Title: Minnesota Partners in Policymaking
Link: http://www.partnersinpolicymaking.com/index.html
Description: Partners in Policymaking is an innovative training program developed to teach parents and self-advocates the power of advocacy to change the way people with disabilities are supported, viewed, taught, live and work. Partners in Policymaking offers online courses and ideas for integrating online and classroom learning.

Title: Self Advocates Becoming Empowered
Link: http://www.sabeusa.org
Description: Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE) strives to ensure that people with disabilities are treated as equals and that they are given the same decisions, choices, rights, responsibilities, and chances to speak up to empower themselves.

Title: Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office
Link: http://www.doa.state.nc.us/yaio/boards.htm
Description: The Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office is home to four councils that involve North Carolina's youth: Governor's Advocacy Council on Children and Youth (GACCY), State Youth Council, North Carolina Internship Council, North Carolina Youth Advisory Council. Information on self-advocacy, internships, and state councils is available on the Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office Web site.

Title: Sharing Your Story
Link: http://www.familycenteredcare.org/advance/Sharing_Your_Story.pdf
Description: This document, developed by the Institute for Family Centered Care (http://www.familycenteredcare.org/index.html), lists tips for people that are going to share their story with others.
Source: EST

Title: PERC Self-Advocacy Checklist
Link: http://transitiontocollege.net/percpubs/perc_sd_checklist.pdf
Description: The Postsecondary Education Research Center (PERC) has developed a checklist for self-advocates to use in working on their skills in different situations. This tool provides a means for students to monitor their progress towards achieving their goals by creating familiarity in three settings; the classroom, in their place of employment, and in a social or community setting. Students are asked to practice various self-advocacy skills (Introduce Self, Describe Strengths, Describe Disability, Describe Support needs, Present Documentation) in each of these settings and document mastery in each environment.
Source: EST

Title: Working with the News Media
Link: http://www.txddc.state.tx.us/resource
es/publications/news_media/nwsmedia.asp
Description: To help individuals with disabilities become more familiar with the news media and develop the skills they need to obtain media coverage, the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities has created a series of information sheets on "Working with the News Media." Topics include: Introduction and Resources, Letter to the Editor, Interview Preparation, Using Photos, Conveying Desired Values, Attitudes and Perspectives, and Preparing News Releases.

Note: once you reach the Web site, the topics covered are listed in the menu on the left side of the page.
Source: EST

Title: Tips for Teens: Use Your IEP Meetings to Learn How to Advocate for Yourself
Link: http://www.pacer.org/parent/php/php-c149.pdf
Description: This document is published by the PACER Center. It has information for teens on how to begin to express their needs and wants by participating in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. At these meetings, teens can learn ways to talk about their disability to others, set goals, build teamwork skills, ask for accommodations, and practice other self-advocacy skills.

Information provided by Disability.Gov.
Source: EST

Title: Spark Action
Link: http://sparkaction.org/
Description: SparkAction's site and e-newsletters are your one-stop shop for news and tools to make a difference in the lives of children and youth. Spark Action gathers, synthesizes and promotes the best information on a range of child and youth issues across the development spectrum, from organizations and leaders across the country.

Mission
SparkAction is an online journalism and advocacy center by and for the child and youth field. Through their site and e-newsletters, they work to:

1.Connect concerned adults and young people—whether they’re new to the issues or already activists—to compelling stories, context and accurate information on children’s issues, as well as tools to take action, from volunteering to advocating for better policies and programs.

2.Help child- and youth-focused organizations effectively reach a broad audience (the public, professional peers, and policymakers) with their content and materials.

3.Elevate the voices and perspectives of young people themselves.

4.Break down silos in the broad child and youth field and strengthen connections among organizations and agencies to create a stronger, unified voice for children and youth.

SparkAction gives visitors stories, information and tools to learn about a range of issues and to take action to improve policies and programs, and, ultimately, the fabric of our nation as a whole.

SparkAction is managed by the Forum for Youth Investment, a nonprofit "action tank" and the founder of the Ready by 21 initiative.
Source: EST