Frontline Initiative: Advocacy and Voting
DirectCourse Connect
The College of Direct Support
All people, regardless of ability, can be empowered and energized when they exercise their rights. Advocacy skills help you to achieve both personal and professional objectives. As a DSP, you can be an advocate with people as they work toward the goals that are important to them. Advancing the direct support profession also requires advocacy. You can use advocacy tools to share your story. Content in the College of Direct Support (CDS) can teach you strategies to become an informed advocate. Below is a small sample of CDS lessons that could be useful to DSPs.
Civil Rights and Advocacy: Disability Rights and Legislation
Part of the DSP’s role is to support people as they exercise their civil rights. This lesson helps DSPs understand the role of laws, regulations, and courts in protecting these rights. This lesson could help learners earn the NADSP E-Badge for Informed Advocate.
Civil Rights and Advocacy: Your Role in Effective Advocacy
Advocacy can affect how people think and act toward people with disabilities. It can change how people think about themselves. This lesson teaches the skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed for effective advocacy. This lesson could help learners earn the NADSP E-Badge for Advocate With.
Everyone Can Communicate: Strategies to Enhance Communication
Effective communication is a key part of self-advocacy. It can help people achieve the goals that are important to them. This lesson provides you with person-centered strategies to support this. This lesson could help learners earn the NADSP E-Badge for Communication Modes.
Individual Rights and Choice: Overcoming a Past of Barriers and Restrictions
People with disabilities often face barriers to their expression of rights. As a DSP, you can work with people to manage this. This lesson teaches valuable skills to support advocacy in making choices and expressing rights. This lesson could help learners earn the NADSP E-Badge for Advocate With.