Inclusion Advocacy Resources for Parents and Self- Advocates

Below is information on how parents and self-advocates can advocate for inclusion within their school and school division.

What is advocacy?

Advocacy is the act of communicating on behalf of or in support of particular causes, interests, individuals, or groups.

Local forms of advocacy often serve as a type of grassroots community engagement. Grassroots Community Engagement is an organized form of bottom up volunteerism where everyday people contribute time and talent in a worthwhile purpose intended to improve their local community.

Questions to ask:

  • Who are you advocating for?
  • What are your advocating for?
  • Where do you advocate?

Who are you advocating for?

  • ·Your own child and their future
  • ALL students with disabilities
  • BIG PUSH - PreK-12 students with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, and multiple disabilities who are in self-contained classrooms and segregated schools for more than 60% of the school day to be included with their same-age peers in general education classrooms

What are you advocating for?

  • Classroom inclusion and learning with peers
  • A division-wide commitment to inclusive education!

Where do you advocate?

  • IEP Meetings
  • Early Intervention Meetings
  • Parent-Teacher Conferences
  • Community Service Boards
  • School Board Meetings
  • Parent Teacher Association Meetings
  • School Faculty Meetings
  • Individual Meetings with School Principal
  • Local Superintendents Meetings

Advocacy Do’s and Don’ts

Do:

  • Prioritize needs 
  • Prepare before advocating
  • Know your audience and use that to your advantage
  • Build positive relationships
  • Be open to new ideas

Don’t:

  • Assume the worst
  • Complain
  • Be focused only on yourself or your child (this is self-advocacy)
  • Be confrontational
  • Be close-minded

Parents and self-advocates feel free to download, adapt, personalize, and deliver these presentations to any of the following to advocate for inclusion. Please not only advocate for yourself or your child, but advocate for all students within the school or school division. Let’s promote change to benefit ALL.

10-Minute Advocacy Presentation

5-Minute Advocacy Presentation

3-Minute Advocacy Presentation