Advocacy is:

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Advocacy is

• When people support, speak or act on their own
  behalf, or on behalf of someone who asks for
  assistance.
• A means to obtain information, services and
  resources, as well as the cooperation of health
  and social service professionals.
• Not an adversarial approach, but an assertive and
  cooperative strategy.

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Attitudes

• Cooperation
• Flexibility
• Patience
• Positive thinking
• Persistence

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Skills

• Listening
• Communication
• Resourcefulness
• Assertiveness
• Self-care, such as taking holidays as needed

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Resources

• Family
• Social support network (formal and informal
  community groups)
• Access to internet and other information sources

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Knowledge

• of hepatitis
• of community agencies
• of treatment processes
• of self
• of community support groups

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The Rewards of Advocacy

• Being able to influence other decision-makers
  such as health and social service providers and
  family members.
• Conserving personal time and energy.
• Learning new techniques to improve your people
  skills.
• Knowing the difference between what you can and
  cannot change.

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Knowing Yourself

• Positive Responses
• Stress and Breaks

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Times Not to Advocate

• When you are very tired or feeling overwhelmed.
  At these times, others can take on your advocacy
  role for you.
• When the terms or rules of the health or social
  service organization are not delegated to the
  person you are dealing with.

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Barriers to Advocacy

• Being unprepared
• Fearing retaliation or worrying that others will
  think you are ridiculous
• Being aggressive
• Being unaware of your rights
• Having unrealistic expectations

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Barriers to Advocacy

• Being unwilling to listen to other people or to
  explore alternate solutions
• Feeling inferior or less educated than those with
  whom you have to deal
• Having English as your second language

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Be Assertive Not Aggressive
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Being Assertive is

• Knowing your limitations but focusing on your
  strengths
• Being your real self
• Labelling your feelings
• Identifying and breaking down your own defences

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Specific Skills

• Listening
• Being aware of your body language
• Connecting feelings with behaviours
• Expressing your feelings

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Specific Skills

• Avoiding sarcasm,character assassination or
  absolutes
• Giving alternate behaviours
• Learning to say no
• Learning to avoid manipulation
• Learning to see how others evade your assertive
  requests

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UnproductiveAdvocacy Styles

• Passive or Submissive
• Aggressive
• Passive-Aggressive
• Manipulative

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Control Your Feelings

• Be positive
• Inventory your feelings

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UnderstandNegotiating Styles

• Fighters or Attackers
• Appeasers or Converters
• Those who flee or dither
• Analysts
• Truth Seekers

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REMEMBER Be Willing to Listen A person may be
willing to compromise or give you something that
you need under certain circumstances if you can
make what they have to offer match what you need.
If you listen carefully to what he or she has to
say, you may be able to detect what these
circumstances are. Dont assume you already know
a persons reaction to what you will propose. As
part of your listening, ask them for
clarification It would help me if you could put
in a nutshell your thoughts on what Ive just
said?
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Negotiate Methodically

• Ask the person why he or she has said no to your
  request, and ask him or her to write the reason
  down for you on paper.
• Ask the person what advice he or she would give
  you to achieve the solution you want.
• Ask the person what solution he or she would
  recommend as an alternative.

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Negotiate Methodically

• If this alternative is acceptable, ask him or her
  when you can expect it to happen and ask him or
  her to write the solution and date it is expected
  to happen down for you.
• If you disagree with the solution, tell the
  person your own ideas. If the other person
  disagrees with your ideas, return to 1.

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Negotiate Methodically

• Know your BATNA, or Best Alternative To a
  Negotiated Agreement. Can you walk away if you
  dont get this? What other choices do you have?
  What are the pros and cons of each choice? Also
  consider what the other persons BATNA might be.
• Ask what are your best and worst case scenarios,
  and aim for the area in between during
  negotiations. Dont drop below your worst, as
  you will later feel resentful and angry.

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Negotiate Methodically

• Stick to the problem, and to the facts of the
  situation. Do not attack the persons
  intelligence, competence or sense of fairness.
• If you find yourself becoming argumentative,
  angry or withdrawn, leave the conversation and
  come back another time when you are not upset.
  Say, I am feeling that a bit of time may be
  helpful for me to reflect on what we have both
  said. When can we meet again to talk about this?

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Negotiate Methodically

• Ask for a second opinion. If the other person
  agrees with the solution, ask him or her to write
  it down, including an expected date for it to
  occur.
• Document all your meetings and telephone calls,
  including the date, to whom you spoke, and what
  was said.

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REMEMBER Dont give up because one person says
no. Review your documents and determine if you
need to change something in your plan. You may
have to change your plan several times, but keep
focussing on your goal! Negotiation is a process,
not a one-time event.
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Know Your Rights

• Personal Bill of Rights
• I have the right to ask for what I want.
• I have the right to refuse services or resources
  that dont meet my needs.
• I have the right to change my mind.
• I have the right to express my feelings, whether
  positive or negative.
• I have the right to determine my priorities.
• I have the right to advocate for myself.
• I have the right to feel scared or afraid.
• I have the right not to justify my decisions.

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Know Your Rights

• Personal Bill of Rights
• I have the right to be treated with dignity and
  respect.
• I have the right to play and be frivolous.
• I have the right to experience honesty from
  others.
• I have the right to take breaks from advocating
  and ask for help.
• I have the right to feel angry.
• I have the right to say that I am not ready or am
  unable to meet the demands and expectations of
  others.
• I have the right to receive copies of anything I
  sign.

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Observing Chainsof Command
Answers
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Overall Principles

• Plan ahead
• Research all relevant literature about available
  resources
• Write down your notes and questions before
  meeting representatives
• Be clear about your requests

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Overall Principles

• Talk to the appropriate people
• Write letters or e-mail
• Make appointments
• Plan for the worst case scenario
• Remember that you are a valuable member of the
  team

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Before a Meeting

• Request a written agenda
• Inform the group with which you are meeting that
  you would like to bring a tape recorder or
  another person with you when you are advocating
  for yourself
• Timing is critical

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During a Meeting

• Keep meetings short and to the point
• Say what you have to say and then stop
• Be trustworthy, tell the truth, keep confidences
  and honour your promises

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Writing Letters
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