Follow your advocacy plan!
Advocacy
What advocacy isn't
• Taking over and making decisions
• Doing for people when they can do for
themselves.
• Acting in a quasi-legal capacity when an
attorney should be involved.
• Reinforcing feelings of helplessness
and dependency.
Recordkeeping
• It is very important to make and keep current
records of all problem-related communication.
You should keep copies of all letters, records
and other documents related to your problem.
• Keep copies of every letter you write or
receive.
• Make notes, immediately, of every
important conversation, including phone calls.
Date all letters and notes.
Phone calls/conversations:
When you call or talk to anyone about your
problem, do the following:
• Write down the time, date and who you were
talking to, including their title.
• Write down your questions or points
beforehand.
• Have related papers/documents in front of
you.
• Make notes of what you ask and what you are
told.
• Make sure you ask the questions or make the
points which you listed.
• Immediately afterwards write down anything
that you believe was important about the
conversation, both good and bad.
• File your notes in a safe place.
• If the conversation was important because of
statements you made or promises which were
made to you, write a letter to the person with
whom you spoke confirming the conversation.
This creates evidence of the conversation and
gives an opportunity to confirm or deny what
was said. This may help prevent conflicts
what was discussed or promised.
• Keep a copy of all letters you send.
• Taking over and making decisions
• Doing for people when they can do for
themselves.
• Acting in a quasi-legal capacity when an
attorney should be involved.
• Reinforcing feelings of helplessness
and dependency.
Recordkeeping
• It is very important to make and keep current
records of all problem-related communication.
You should keep copies of all letters, records
and other documents related to your problem.
• Keep copies of every letter you write or
receive.
• Make notes, immediately, of every
important conversation, including phone calls.
Date all letters and notes.
Phone calls/conversations:
When you call or talk to anyone about your
problem, do the following:
• Write down the time, date and who you were
talking to, including their title.
• Write down your questions or points
beforehand.
• Have related papers/documents in front of
you.
• Make notes of what you ask and what you are
told.
• Make sure you ask the questions or make the
points which you listed.
• Immediately afterwards write down anything
that you believe was important about the
conversation, both good and bad.
• File your notes in a safe place.
• If the conversation was important because of
statements you made or promises which were
made to you, write a letter to the person with
whom you spoke confirming the conversation.
This creates evidence of the conversation and
gives an opportunity to confirm or deny what
was said. This may help prevent conflicts
what was discussed or promised.
• Keep a copy of all letters you send.
What is advocacy?
• Helping people assert their rights
through information and training.
• Supporting efforts through
independence.
• Offering referrals to appropriate
agencies.
• Clarifying problems so they can be
effectively addressed.
• Forming a partnership with, and
only interceding when people are not
able to help theirselves.
• Directing people toward empowerment
so they can help themselves in the
future.
• Enlisting everyone on all sides of the
problems.