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ADVOCACY: a Voice for a Student

ADVOCACY: a Voice for a Student. CONTEXT The Nature of the Beast? How much is just about the stage of development and how much is a difference in experience that creates another culture?. CONTEXT – the student’s community & its views and values.

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ADVOCACY: a Voice for a Student

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  1. ADVOCACY: a Voice for a Student ICAN Conference 2006

  2. CONTEXT The Nature of the Beast? How much is just about the stage of development and how much is a difference in experience that creates another culture? ICAN Conference 2006

  3. CONTEXT – the student’s community & its views and values Saundry “ Hidden Rules- relationships and results” http://www.det.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/publ/research/publ/Hidden_Rules-Leonie_Saundr`y-prs.pdfsl 4 ICAN Conference 2006

  4. CONTEXT – the school culture “Your organisation’s culture is not the espoused list of values …. (These) may be different from thevalues, beliefs and norms expressed in your actual practices and behaviour….” Hagberg and Heifetz where does your school sit on a continuum of inclusive values as expressed in its practices? ICAN Conference 2006

  5. Cultural continuum Fairness = recognising difference Fairness = treat all the same ICAN Conference 2006

  6. Rights/ needs of the individual continuum cont’d Rights/ needs of the collective ICAN Conference 2006

  7. Focus on Learning continuum cont’d Focus on Compliance ICAN Conference 2006

  8. Relaxed relationships continuum cont’d Rigid roles ICAN Conference 2006

  9. Students need understanding continuum cont’d Students need correcting ICAN Conference 2006

  10. Students developing continuum cont’d Students complete moral agents ICAN Conference 2006

  11. Consider the spectrum (in your booklet). Think about your school A possible later individual or team activity • Where is your staff generally along each of these? are there significant subgroups which differ from this? • Where would you like them to be? • You might like to put on other groups too eg leadership team, governing council, parent community as a whole or some major sub-communities ICAN Conference 2006

  12. Think about the staff and students at your school. (Generalising furiously) consider the “cultures” at play here. What values/ideas of each party may need to be made explicit to the other? Some discussion starters are in the handout. Culture clash? A possible later team activity ICAN Conference 2006

  13. CONTEXT – the advocate’s views & values What unconscious assumptions do you make, drawn from your experience, background, & personality? What judgments or adverse reactions do you find yourself making/ having – despite your inclusive conscious values? ICAN Conference 2006

  14. Students At Risk Populations & Individuals

  15. Advocacy seeks to redress the inequality that is inherent in the social interactions of disadvantaged individuals due to fundamental power imbalances. Carmela Qualities include … a philosophy that clients/students experience problems and that clients/students are not problematic, (and) recognition of the need for prevention and intervention .Field and Baker Advocacy is modelling empowerment. Nat.Center for transforming School Counseling Newsletter ADVOCACY ICAN Conference 2006

  16. ADVOCACY enabling StARs to pass barriers • taking and working for a particular side’s interests in a conflict. • advocacy role - representation of the best interest of a client. • use of influence within an organization to create change ICAN Conference 2006

  17. Individual advocacy on a one-to-one basis, with individuals ADVOCACY Two broad strands: • Systemic advocacy addresses wider social and structural issues causing or perpetuating disadvantage after Carmela ICAN Conference 2006

  18. When and wherean advocate? At your table brainstorm the kinds of situations where you might usefully advocate for a student. To whom would you be advocating? ICAN Conference 2006

  19. Inclusion and respect– values everyone equally Equity– focuses on the vulnerable/ less powerful Empowerment– supporting developing self-confidence, self direction Independence- minimises conflict of interest Partisan– represents someone else’s views, needs, wishes and/or entitlements Information– well informed of context and available options ADVOCACYPrinciples of being an advocate ICAN Conference 2006

  20. Dispositions Advocacy Disposition Embraces advocacy role, altruistic motivation, risk taking, Empowerment Disposition Empower student/family input into decisions Social Advocacy Disposition Equity orientation Ethical Disposition Ethic of care and personal ethical standards Advocacy Competenciesafter Carey, citing Trusty & Brown (2005) ICAN Conference 2006

  21. Knowledge Knowledge of Resources within and outside schools Knowledge of Parameters School policies and procedures & legal framework Scope of Practice Knowledge of Dispute Resolution & Advocacy Models and Mechanisms Knowledge of Individual Development Models Knowledge of Systemic Change Models Advocacy Competencies (cont’d) ICAN Conference 2006

  22. Skills Communication Skills Collaboration Skills Problem Assessment Skills (systemic and individual) Problem Solving Skills Skills in Organizing and Presenting Information and Data Self-care Skills Advocacy Competencies (cont’d) ICAN Conference 2006

  23. Legitimate Authority Factors Affecting Advocacyafter Carey 2005 does the school community recognise the role of advocate? • Credibility • expertness – do the advocate’s skills inspire confidence; does the advocate seem to know what you are talking about? • congeniality – does the advocate have warm working relationships with all parties? • trustworthiness – do all parties have confidence in the integrity and appropriate discretion of the advocate? ICAN Conference 2006

  24. Power of the Argument Factors Affecting Advocacy cont’d • evidence • persuasiveness Does the advocate help others see things differently – presenting information that changes their views and assisting them to a perspective that allows them to feel differently about the issue ie cognitive and affective change? • School's orientation to change and innovation – is the management philosophy about ongoing improvement or maintenance? ICAN Conference 2006

  25. Leader’s leadership style & beliefs (level of distributed leadership) Factors Affecting Advocacy, cont’d Is leadership seen as vision and influence or position? Is the culture hierarchical and authoritarian, or democratic and meritocratic? • Advocate’s relationships with key opinion-makers Will the key opinion-makers respect the advocate’s role and views, or will they undermine the advocacy process or its credibility? ICAN Conference 2006

  26. Advocate’s emotional intelligence and human relations skills Factors Affecting Advocacy, cont’d • The ability to • “read” others’ responses • monitor the emotional climate of a meeting • ensure others feel safe and valued • negotiate and mediate ensures that the advocate can sensitively represent their “client”, be the “lubricant” in complex interactions, and support the development of outcomes which leave all parties with dignity intact. ICAN Conference 2006

  27. Support for change among staff & school community – is the culture open to or resistant to new ways of seeing and doing things? Factors Affecting Advocacy, cont’d • Advocate’s passion & persistence Does the advocate care about the principles of voice and openness, regardless of the specific parties? Is the advocate able to keep going despite resistance and setbacks? Is the advocate able to maintain their commitment and their wellbeing? ICAN Conference 2006

  28. A possible later individual activity Advocating ready or not? In your folder there are tables of the competencies and factors affecting advocacy. Take a few minutes to reflect on how well you are situated to advocate for a student . This will assist you to identify barriers and enablers in your context, and strengths and areas for future development in your own skills ICAN Conference 2006

  29. INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY Instructed advocacy - acting as the mouthpiece,conveying the student’s perceptions, beliefs, wants Representative advocacy - making representations to advance the needs of the student as you see them professionally ICAN Conference 2006

  30. Instructed advocacy - acting as the mouthpiece, conveying the student’s perceptions, beliefs, wants. • This means that you are • simply the voice of the student • suspending your professional judgement. • only a conduit for the student, conveying what s/he wants. Your role is to provide that information clearly and convincingly. You are like an interpreter, ensuring that the student’s statements are communicated in ways that the other party understands. Your language may be different than the student's but the core meaning is not. ICAN Conference 2006

  31. Representative advocacy - making representations to advance the needs of the student as you see them professionally You consider the student’s views but also take into account your observations and perhaps other material you have sought out. You exercise professional judgment to assess the student’s needs. You then advocate for those needs with the key personnel. Be clear to what degree you are acting with the student’s knowledge and support. In general, advocacy is about empowerment and so openness is preferred. There may be situations though where that is not effective. ICAN Conference 2006

  32. Potentialities & Dilemmas? At your table using the Potentialities/ Dilemmas poster as a frame and record, discuss what potential dilemmas or risks might arise with individual advocacy and what gains it might produce. There may be some specific to Instructed or Representative. Be prepared to share one significant point from your table. ICAN Conference 2006

  33. What were the significant potential dilemmas/problems identified at the tables? INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY - Dilemmas • Reading highlights • role confusion • desensitisation • time and energy cost • taking over/ letting go • empowering/ dependency ICAN Conference 2006

  34. In your handout there is one model of establishing individual advocacy. Also there is a step by step process for advocacy through SEE processes. Both are on the web at SSOnet> Student Wellbeing > Behaviour Management > Individuals ICAN Conference 2006

  35. Safeguards social justice effective systems sound understanding of what threatens and undermines children’s wellbeing knowledge of what works best willingness to listen to & act on what children say ADVOCACY – supporting children at risk Pam Simmons, Guardian of Children and Young People Counsellors’ Child Protection Training Phase 1 May 2005 ICAN Conference 2006

  36. dvance their needs evelop understanding oice for unheard n ‘their side’ ADVOCATE ollaborative lternative solutions ransparentpractice mpowering outcomes ADVOCATE ADVOCATE ADVOCATE ICAN Conference 2006

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