The value of assisting people to advocate for their own rights is that it can prevent the dehumanizing
effect and discounting of feelings and perceptions that can occur in the larger social, economic, political,
legal and medical systems. The value of facilitating peers to provide advocacy is that they have an
intimate understanding of the needs of people who have ABI. They have used similar services and are experienced in navigating the bureaucratic maze of the mental health system and other public systems.
Peers can act as role models and teach people from a practical perspective how to understand and
exercise their legal rights (Disability Rights California).
The principle behind peer advocacy is that the person advocating has something in common with the person he or she is speaking for. The advocate works with, supports or represents someone whose difficulties are similar to those the advocate has experienced him/herself in the past. ‘Peer advocates are experts by experience’. (Forum of People with Disabilities, 2001:17).
Headwest aims to facilitate weekly peer/self-advocacy groups. We do this by helping residents start
their own self-advocacy group. The residents decide what advocacy topics they want to work on. We
then develop a training plan with materials, based on what people want to learn. We take into account
the residents’ skill levels and preferred ways of learning information. Topics can include: patients' rights,
how to advocate for yourself, conservatorships, your legal status, penal code extensions, how to get out,
and how to stay out.
This can also be extended into the community, to help people get the most out of community resources.
This may involve helping them form a self-advocacy group that meets weekly or bi-weekly, then using the same training process to teach advocacy topics as we use in our own facilities. Topics can include:
Developing community supports, public benefits, accessing community services, surviving in the community,
the disability act or finding free resources?
This Peer Advocacy model is inspired by and shares some of the characteristics of the Clubhouse
Movement. This is a place where people can come to rebuild their lives, supported by peers, family,
community and professional advocates. It is the individual’s participation which provides the core healing process. The members and staff work side by side in a unique relationship to achieve goals. It supports members to secure transitional employment, state housing, obtain education, good medical care and
so
on. It is a safe environment where participants can secure a new beginning in the community.
Headwest’s peer advocacy program, however, operates with clear guidelines to ensure outcomes are constructive and responsive to different individual needs. Staff retain the bottom-line responsibility to make the program function.