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The benefits of standing up for yourself

When you stand up for yourself, you know your rights, tell others what you want and need and do things to support your wellbeing.

The benefits include:

  • You choose what to focus on, picking issues that matter to you.
  • A more enjoyable and satisfying life. You can make progress on problems that hold you back and work towards things that make you feel good.
  • Benefits for people in situations like yours. Others may feel inspired by your example. They might want some of the same things you do.
Feelings of power and pride come from knowing what you need and want and working towards your chosen goals.

How to get started

The first step is to know what you need and want. Think this through for yourself.

  • Create a list of things that frustrate you and hold you back.
  • Research your disability. Look online. Talk to peers, health workers and friends about limits and options. You may want to list dot points to help you remember what you learned.
  • Work out your strengths and weaknesses. Identify what motivates you, what you can already do and what you need help with.
  • Know your rights. You can learn more about your rights in the Neve section Our rights (internal link).

Be clear. Don't hold back! You need to know what you want in order to have your needs met. A good approach is to list:

  • Your big-picture goal. For example, "I want a job".
  • The practical steps you'll need to take to achieve your goals. For example, "Get my driver's license" or "Work out how to get to and from work".
  • Problems that you will have to manage. For example, "My parents don't think I can handle more independence".
  • Solutions. For example, you could tell your parents that you need to be independent. Or, you could find another way to get to work.

Take action. The most exciting (and sometimes scary) part of standing up for yourself is taking action to meet your needs and achieve your goals. The good news? You don't need to do it alone.

When taking action, you could be helped by:

  • Tools and changes to help you perform tasks you couldn't do alone. For example, changes to a car could allow you to drive safely.
  • Treatment that helps you improve a skill. For example, a physiotherapist could help you achieve a physical goal.
  • Good advice. You could get advice from someone who faces the same issue as you. Or, a health professional like an occupational therapist could suggest ways for you to achieve your goals.
  • Advocacy organisations. They can tell you who to contact about a problem you want to solve.

You can find self-advocacy groups and information on the Disability Australia Hub website (external link).

If you would like some support to advocate for yourself you can use the Disability Advocate Network Australia website's advocacy finder page (external link).

The Circles of Support and Microboards website (external link) explores other ways people can find advocacy support.

What are my rights?

People with disabilities have the right to make choices about what they want out of life and take action towards achieving their goals. They have the right to speak up about problems they face, like discrimination at work. They have the right to solve problems in ways that suit them.

Well-meaning people might try to solve problems for you. It can take away your power. It can focus on issues that don't matter much to you. You have a right to stand up for yourself: to identify and take action on issues that matter to you.

1800 RESPECT

If you experience violence or abuse you can contact 1800 RESPECT for support and counselling.
Call 1800 737 732 or go to the 1800 RESPECT website to chat with someone online (external link).

‍To contact 1800RESPECT via SMS, text ‘HELLO’ or any greeting to 0458 737 732 to start the conversation.

Story

Ellie has a co-worker who often offers help when Ellie hasn't asked for it. He does Ellie's work when she would prefer to do it herself. Ellie writes in her journal about the frustration she feels. Then, she thinks about how she could change the situation. She decides to talk to her co-worker directly. She tells him that she can meet her workload and will ask for help if she needs it. She also talks to her manager about the problem, asking for support if it happens again.

Our rights

We all have the right to live full and flourishing lives, free from violence and abuse. This section looks at the history of human rights and United Nations conventions. We also outline the rights of women and gender-diverse people with disabilities in the Australian legal system.

Find out more

Saying no and setting boundaries

A personal boundary is something we won't do or won't accept from others. It can be about touch, like saying no to hugging. It can be about words, like saying no to insults or yelling. Clear boundaries support wellbeing and healthy relationships. Here, you can learn what boundaries look like. You can get help setting yours.

Find out more

Resources.

May 4, 2024

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Headspace

Body scan meditation to reduce stress

Here’s everything you need to know about body scan meditation — including how to do it.

Check resource

May 4, 2024

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Participate Australia

Making Money Easy

A tool to support children, teens and adults with mild to moderate intellectual disability to learn basic counting and money handling skills.

Check resource

May 4, 2024

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Disability Australia Hub

Self-advocacy

Self-advocacy is when someone with disability speaks up and represents themselves. This guide shows you how.

Check resource

May 7, 2024

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Touching Base

Booklets For People With Disability

Resources and information for people with disability about seeing a sex worker.

Check resource

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Standing up for yourself

Self-advocacy means speaking up, solving problems and taking action to help you live your best life. Here, we share tips for getting to know what you want. We explain how to stand up for yourself in a way that helps others listen and share your vision.

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