Self-Advocacy: The Ultimate Teen Guide (It Happened to Me (the Ultimate Teen Guide))

✍ Scribed by Cheryl Tuttle, JoAnn Augeri Silva

• Publisher: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
• Year: 2007
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 234
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Young people come to realize, sometimes painfully early, that it isn't always possible to depend on adults to make sure they are treated safely, fairly, and legally. When teens are faced with situations that are unfair, immoral, illegal, and unjust, they do not need to be victims. They can learn to speak up for themselves effectively to improve their own lives and the lives of others. The skill of self-advocacy rarely comes naturally for teens. Self-Advocacy: The Ultimate Teen Guide offers a set of skills for young people to sort through and acquire and encourages them to speak up about what is bothering them. The book gives them helpful tools they can adapt to deal with adults they must work with—and in some cases against—in order to come to a solution to their problem. Self-Advocacy provides information teens need to have to advocate for themselves. The introduction and first three chapters explain what self-advocacy is; identify when and why it might be necessary for teens to speak up for themselves; provide a step-by-step guide on how to self-advocate successfully; and offer specific, real-world advice about how to wisely use the power of the media to publicize their cause. Seven issue-specific chapters follow. Each topic is treated in a dignified, organized, and comprehensive way, providing information teens can use and resources they can draw upon. The issues and information in those chapters deal with the real world and don't shy away from the difficulties young people encounter every day, such as personal rights, school issues, learning disabilities, physical disability, sexuality, legal issues, and foster care. Each chapter includes the voices and experiences of teens who have encountered issues and decided to speak up for and get what they need. Teens who learn how to advocate for themselves and then act are not only taking steps to right whatever wrong they have been facing, they are also preparing themselves for a successful adult life.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents......Page 9
Acknowledgments......Page 11
Introduction......Page 13
1 Why You Should Be Your Own Advocate......Page 17
KNOW WHEN YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE......Page 19
THE HISTORY OF SELF-ADVOCACY......Page 20
BE FULLY INFORMED BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR ADVOCACY......Page 25
SHOULD I BEGIN SELF-ADVOCACY?......Page 26
“THE FIRST STEP IS ALWAYS THE HARDEST…”......Page 27
TAKING THAT FIRST STEP......Page 28
RESOURCES......Page 45
3 Dealing with the Media......Page 47
WRITE A LETTER OR OPINION ARTICLE......Page 48
WRITE A PRESS RELEASE......Page 49
KNOW YOUR MEDIA AND DEADLINES......Page 51
AT YOUR EVENT......Page 53
DEVELOPING A MESSAGE—AND STICKING WITH IT......Page 55
WHAT TO DO IF THE MEDIA MAKES A MISTAKE......Page 57
RESOURCE......Page 58
4 Personal Rights......Page 59
WHAT’S HAPPENING TO YOU?......Page 60
WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS?......Page 61
WHERE ELSE TO GO......Page 66
PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, PERSONAL NEEDS AND WANTS......Page 68
PEER PRESSURE......Page 70
MORE RESOURCES FOR HELP......Page 73
5 School Issues......Page 75
WHAT’S HAPPENING TO YOU?......Page 77
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION......Page 80
DUE PROCESS AND ZERO TOLERANCE......Page 83
HOW DO SCHOOL ISSUES AFFECT YOU?......Page 91
WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS?......Page 92
WHERE AND HOW TO START......Page 93
MORE RESOURCES FOR HELP......Page 94
6 Learning Disabilities......Page 95
WHAT’S HAPPENING TO YOU?......Page 96
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU?......Page 98
WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS?......Page 100
WHO HAS THE POWER TO HELP?......Page 103
TRANSITION PLANNING......Page 109
WHERE AND HOW TO START......Page 111
YOU MUST BE INVOLVED IN PLANNING YOUR FUTURE......Page 112
WHERE ELSE TO GO......Page 113
MORE RESOURCES FOR HELP......Page 117
7 Physical Disabilities......Page 119
WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS?......Page 121
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU?......Page 126
WHERE AND HOW TO START......Page 128
WHO HAS THE DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY?......Page 129
WHAT OTHER RESOURCES MIGHT PROVIDE HELP?......Page 130
8 Sexuality......Page 133
WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS?......Page 134
SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY......Page 140
PREGNANCY DISCRIMINATION......Page 143
RESOURCES......Page 160
9 Legal Issues......Page 161
EDUCATION......Page 162
TEEN PARENTS......Page 168
IMMIGRATION......Page 170
EMANCIPATION......Page 171
WORK......Page 172
TESTIFYING IN COURT......Page 174
JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY......Page 176
WHAT YOU CAN DO......Page 177
RESOURCES......Page 182
10 Foster Care......Page 185
HOW ARE YOU AFFECTED?......Page 187
YOUR FOSTER HOME OR GROUP HOME......Page 188
CONTACT AND VISITS WITH YOUR BIOLOGICAL FAMILY......Page 193
YOUR RIGHTS IN FOSTER CARE......Page 194
PARENTING TEENS IN FOSTER CARE......Page 195
INDEPENDENT LIVING......Page 196
AGING OUT......Page 197
WHAT YOU CAN DO AS A FOSTER CHILD......Page 204
RESOURCES......Page 208
Bibliography......Page 211
Index......Page 221
About the Authors......Page 227