What is Self-Advocacy and Why Is it Essential for Your Career?
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Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash
Self-Advocacy is a big concept we’ll be exploring at this month’s Networking + Learn Event. So big, in fact, that it’s easy to just throw out there in conversation but not really zero in on how it impacts our lives… or how it could.
Let’s check in for second. How many of these situations have you experienced in your professional life so far? Mentally check off all that apply:
Salary Negotiation
Performance review
Micro-manager
Toxic colleague
Salary increase request
Abusive client
Unethical task
Being overtasked
Yikes, right? Thinking back on some of these situations is never fun, especially if you feel you didn’t handle something the way you wanted to. Or in other cases, you are still dealing with the results.
Self-Advocacy is key to getting around and getting through some of the tough scenarios we are all bound to encounter.
Let’s take a step back: What is self-advocacy? According to SelfAdvocateNet it is;
“... the ability to speak-up for yourself and the things that are important to you. Self-advocacy means you are able to ask for what you need and want and tell people about your thoughts and feelings.
Self-advocacy means you know your rights and responsibilities, you speak-up for your rights, and you are able to make choices and decisions that affect your life.”
** This term is most frequently associated with the disability rights movement, where it was first used and continues to be significant.
Self-advocacy is also crucial for challenges beyond our professional lives. Have you ever struggled to set boundaries with a friend? What about expressing your concerns to a medical professional- despite their diagnosis?
Courage isn’t the only thing needed for self-advocacy. There’s a real skill to be honed and we want to encourage you to develop it ahead of tricky situations where you need to speak up for what you want or need.
That’s why we’re bringing together the YWiB Toronto community to learn about self-advocacy and how it impacts our lives.
Join us on November 28th to hear from special guest speakers Schekina Israel and Sunandini Verma. These inspirational women will share what self-advocacy means to them and advice for how to grow this skill in your own life. See you there!