Family Advocacy

Advocacy
Developmental Disability
Social Role Valorisation (SRV)
Systems Advocacy

What is Advocacy?

Advocacy, also called “social advocacy”, is speaking, acting, and/or writing to promote and defend the rights, needs, and interests of people who are disadvantaged by society.

The definition of effective social advocacy includes principles to provide guidance to people engaged in advocacy efforts.

Some of these principles are:

remaining on the side of the weakest party (in this case, the person or group of people with disability)
speaking out for the interests/rights of the person with disability (not your own interests or rights)
remaining loyal to the people who are disadvantaged (not being co-opted by the powerful such as Governments and service providers)
being prepared to stand by people in the long-term (because positive change doesn't happen quickly or easily)
remaining independent (to avoid possible conflicts of interest)
being prepared, if necessary, to put your reputation on the line (because inclusion of people with disability is not readily accepted by society)
acting with as much strength and vigour as possible (to balance the strength of the opposition)
doing everything possible to avoid or minimise conflicts of interest (as this can weaken the efficacy of advocacy).

Using these principles as a guide assists those conducting advocacy to be as effective as possible.

What is Developmental Disability?

This means a disability which occurs in the period from conception to adulthood (the "developmental" period 0 – 18yrs). Developmental disability includes, but is not limited to, people who live with intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, autism and any combination of physical, intellectual or sensory disabilities.

Family Advocacy's policy is that it promotes and protects the rights, needs and interests of people who have developmental disability.

Within this group of people, the organisation gives priority to those individuals who have high support needs because it is recognised that they face the greatest barriers to acceptance by, and inclusion in, society.

What is Social Role Valorisation?

Social role valorisation is a theory developed by Wolf Wolfensberger to address devaluation. Devaluation occurs when a person or group is perceived by society as different and that difference is negatively valued. So, in Western society, people who are devalued include people who are elderly, people who have nowhere to live and people with disability.

Wolfensberger has defined social role valorisation as:

"...the use of culturally valued means in order to enable, establish and/or maintain valued social roles for people" (Wolf Wolfensberger: 1988)

The theory emphasises using the appropriate methods to achieve valued social roles - the person with disability doing activities and accessing settings and support which are valued by the general community for people who are the same age as the devalued person.

Roles can be relational (e.g. sister, mother, father), work related (e.g. teacher, doctor, librarian), around daily routine (e.g. cleaner, shopper, gardener), related to recreation (e.g. tennis player, reader, card player), around civic membership (e.g. tax payer, voter) or around inner self - spirituality (e.g. church goer, meditator).

Social role valorization is the theory that underlies much of the work of Family Advocacy.

What is Systems Advocacy?

Systems Advocacy or sometimes called “systemic advocacy” is:

“ Action taken to influence or produce systemic change to ensure fair treatment and social justice for people with disabilities. Changes can be pursued in legislation, government policy, policy and practices of agencies providing services to people with disabilities.

Strategies may include collective advocacy, advocacy development, community development, community education, resources development and lobbying”.

Systemic advocacy will focus on removing barriers to full participation of people with disability and may be directed at a wide range of government, non-government, private and community organisations. The advocacy will be systemic, rather than individual, if the policies or actions of government or an organisation, cause disadvantage to many people with disability. In this situation, it will be most cost effective to focus energy in removing the barrier at the legislative, policy or administrative level rather than negotiating, person by person, in relation to an unfair, unjust piece of legislation, policy or practice.