Advocacy & Leadership Skills

"When I look at my daughter today and think of how far we’ve come- that is why I advocate for other children and families – because when you are up to your neck in the mundane battle for your child’s life at the table, taking them to specialists and fighting with insurance companies – you do not have the time or knowledge to take that out to the world. Your world becomes your child’s health. But, for that family- one person’s advocacy can change their lives. That is why I advocate for Homocystinuria (HCU), metabolic and children’s healthcare."

-Story from a parent advocate

Advocacy Basics

Boy writing on paper a list of opportunities and threats.

Cashi brainstorming as part of a youth leadership meeting.

Advocacy Tip Sheet- Kids as Self Advocates (KASA)

Speak Up - A guide to self-advocacy- The Arc of Washington

Believe to Achieve Worksheet- A worksheet for parents and their children about setting and reaching goals

Advocacy U Training and Resource Center-Information for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families on learning how to advocate for themselves and others.

Civil Rights and Advocacy Resources- Kids as Self Advocates (KASA)

WikiAdvocacy- Provides information on founding and growing an advocacy organization from fundraising to detailed explanations of issues, skills, and creating a registry and samples repository.

Voting: It's Your Right- The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities

Spanish Version

Tools for Advocacy- Family Voices of California

Wrightslaw Home- Provides information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities for parents, educators, advocates, and attorneys.

Assumptions- Video about a woman's struggle with muscular dystrophy and the assumptions people make about her

The Life Rope: Engagement of Diverse Populations for Recruitment and Representation in Genetics- This is a paper about methods of including diverse communities and underserved populations in planning, implementation and sustainability of genetic services 

Creating a Patient and Family Advisory Council: A Toolkit for Pediatric Practices- National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality (NICHQ)

Self-Advocacy For All: Stories from Self Advocates- Research and Training Center on Community Living at The University of Minnesota

 

Leadership Skills and Trainings

 

Urban, Underserved & Unbelievably Powerful!- Parent Leaders of CYSHCN Parent Leadership Presentation

Boy smiling with his dog.

Ben smiling with his dog, Baila.

The Art of Collaboration and Negotiation- Family Navigator Training from Family to Family Network of Virginia

Leadership Training for Special Education Advisory Committees- Building Local SEACs for Better Special Education Services and Student Outcomes

Partners in Policymaking- Online Courses Online e-courses on advocacy, policymaking, and telling your story 

Pasosprograms's Channel (Spanish)- Videos on skills to educate peers, facilitate access to resources, and bring ideas for change from communities to health service providers and decision-makers.

Guided Action Plan Worksheet- A worksheet on creating a plan of action after making a decision

Creating Agreement, Conflict Resolution, and Collaborative Problem Solving- Statewide Parent Advocacy Network

Creating Agreement, Conflict Resolution, and Collaborative Problem Solving (SPANISH)- Statewide Parent Advocacy Network

Nothing About Us Without Us- Presentation on Family Involvement from Parent to Parent of Virginia

Family Support, Culture and Disability Training- TASH

Participant Workbook

Trainer Workbook

Training Curriculum

Leadership in Advocacy- TASH

Participant Workbook

Trainer Workbook

 

Best Practices for Joining and Participating on Advisory Committees- Genetic Alliance

 

The Pebble in the Pond…Engaging Culturally Diverse Families in Advocacy- Statewide Parent Advocacy Network

 

Promoting Empowerment and Independence: Self Advocacy Training Modules- Self Advocate Coalition of Kansas (SACK)

 

Leadership Tips Video Series-National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality (NICHQ)

 

Advocacy Guide – Training Modules- American Academy of Pediatrics

 

Getting Involved as a Parent

 

Parents as Presenters Workshop Participant Guide- Pennsylvania Natural Allies

Girl standing with her toy shopping cart.

Stephanie plays with her toy grocery cart at home.

Video Presentation on Parent Advocacy- Diana Autin from the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN)

You Are an Advocate for Your Child with Special Health Care Needs- Family Voices

Family Guide for Serving on Groups that Make Decisions- Wisconsin State Professional Development Grant (SPDG)

Making an Impact: Representing the Family Voice on Committees and Advisory Councils- Statewide Parent Advocacy Network

Board Member Agreement Form- Family Connection of South Carolina

Involving families as advisors (for professionals/ orgs)- Center for Children with Special Needs

Involving families as advisors (for families)- Center for Children with Special Needs 

Building a Family Network- Statewide Parent Advocacy Network

Parent Leadership 101- Parent Leadership Presentation

Together, We Can Move Mountains: Parents as Leaders in Improving Systems for Children and Families- Statewide Parent Advocacy Network

Parents as Collaborative Leaders- Parents as Collaborative Leaders: Improving Outcomes for Children with Disabilities is a national partnership between the University of Vermont, PACER Center, and several other parent and advocacy organizations.

Tools for Sharing Your Message

 

Further Your Mission: Using internet tools and Social Media- Parent to Parent of Georgia

 

Advocating Through Letter Writing- Parent to Parent NYS-Family to Family Health Care Information Center

 

Creating Effective Brochures- Genetic Alliance 

 

Social Media 101: How to get started with Facebook and Twitter- Family Voices, Contact: Jennifer Akers, f2fhic.fv.indiana@gmail.com

 

Social Media 110: Learning more about Facebook and Twitter- Family Voices, Contact: Jennifer Akers, f2fhic.fv.indiana@gmail.com

 

Return to Advocacy ATLAS Homepage

Combined Federal Campaign (CFC)
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4301 Connecticut Avenue NW - Suite 404
Washington, DC 20008-2369
Tel: 202.966.5557 Fax: 202.966.8553
info@geneticalliance.org