Advocacy is often thought of as a tool used by social
innovators to attract attention to their cause. Agents of
change rely on advocacy techniques to make a difference,
and advocating is most often associated with a public service or a
cause. However, advocacy has a real role in the daily life of all
students, and indeed, all people.
To advocate, or “to
plead in favor of” according to Miriam Webster Dictionary, is necessary for any
person to succeed in their academic, professional or personal endeavors. To be an advocate requires many
characteristics, including a thorough understanding of a cause or
goal, a passion to succeed at that goal, and effective writing and verbal
communication skills to benefit the promotion of the goal.
If you think about these characteristics outside of the
world of social change, they resemble a set of tools necessary to succeed in
everyday life. Whether applying to
college, interviewing for a job or presenting a proposal to their boss, people
must advocate for themselves or their ideas. Understanding, communication skills, and passion to
achieve are all vital to success in every walk of life.
To train students as advocates means giving them
the ability and the drive to fight for something they believe in,
whether that be their own
education or a change within their community. It means empowering students to take initiative and determine their own futures.
Those who advocate are those who lead. So in order
to train
tomorrow’s leaders, we must give them the tools to get there. Because
before they lead others, they must first learn to advocate for
themselves.
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