Understanding student leadership and advocacy is of paramount importance due to its multifaceted impact. Firstly, engagement in leadership roles cultivates crucial life skills like effective communication, decision-making, and teamwork, contributing significantly to personal development. It fosters self-confidence, empowering students to tackle challenges and pursue their goals with assurance. Academically, these experiences promote better time management and goal-setting, translating into improved academic performance. Moreover, student leadership and advocacy instill a sense of social responsibility. By honing advocacy skills, students learn to express their opinions, stand up for their beliefs, and actively participate in addressing societal issues. This not only prepares them for civic engagement but also nurtures a commitment to positive change within their communities. The collaborative nature of leadership roles contributes to community building, promoting teamwork and fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion. Looking towards the future, the leadership experience becomes a valuable asset in career development. The skills acquired—ranging from effective communication to teamwork—are highly sought after by employers. Additionally, these roles provide opportunities for professional networking, establishing connections that can prove beneficial in future endeavors. Student leadership also plays a pivotal role in promoting change, allowing students to contribute to positive societal shifts and advocate for a more just and equitable world.

1. ADVOCACY
101
BY LENEKA RHODEN
OCTOBER 2023

2. ICE
BREAKER
What are you passionate
about?
What’s your major? Do you rather to be rich
and sad or poor and
happy?
2

3. 6 Gems
3
Advocacy and activism efforts mobilize communities to use the power of united voices to
create positive change in the world.
Advocacy is taking action and being accountable for oneself in creating a better life.
The act of leadership is the ability to empower others to achieve a collective set of
goals for a progressive future.
Leadership and advocacy often go together and can be used effectively to
accomplish a set of tasks.
These skills are acquired through experience and not given from birth.
Knowledge of advocacy and leadership can be valuable tools as one strives for more
independence.

4. SPECIAL
TRAITS
OF
A
STUDENT
ADVOCATE
4
Is student centered Committed to helping each student be his or her best, one whose
beliefs relative to student advocacy are revealed in his or her actual
behaviours and decisions about school policies, curriculum and
related programmes.
Makes decisions that are in the
best interests of students
Understands the complexity of the factors that affect the
performance and success of a student and supports and defends
decisions that are in the best interests of all students.
Represents the special needs of
all students
This trait encompasses academic, social and physical needs. Student
advocacy focuses on identifying students’ educational and
accommodation needs and then taking proactive steps to gain
maximum support for meeting those needs through educational
policy.
Has a research posture The student advocate is a consumer, distributor and utilizer of the
best research relative to such critical issues as student retention,
student motivation, special needs programmes, student learning and
others.
Stands up for student rights and
concerns
The student advocate treats students as important individuals in
their own right and recognizes their individual needs. This trait
requires that the principal be knowledgeable of the rights of
students and the administrator’s responsibilities under law.

5. Understanding the
Right Channels
• Advocacy doesn’t mean making up noise. It means action.
• Actions vary based on two factors:
• The extent of the problem
• The context the problem exists
5
Simon is in an English lecture where a video is being
shown to the class. Unfortunately, Simon’s
accommodation requiring the use of Closed Captions
hasn’t been provided. Because of this, Simon is missing
most of the content in the video and there will be a quiz
covering that information in the next class.
1. Stand up in the class and question the professor “Hey mannn,
what’s up with that?”
2. Talk to the professor after the class or set up a meeting to
discuss the issue
3. Immediately send an email to the professor identifying the
concerns, copying the accessibility consultant (AC)
4. If an in-person conversation does not address the concerns,
email the AC with all the details so that further support can be
offered.
Students have been
complaining on the hall about
the high prices to wash their
clothes.
Your flat mates have been
affected by the smell of
smoke coming from other
flat mates’ room.
You are at work and you
realize that a number of the
employees have no benefits
(healthcare/lunch/education).

6. They Won’t
Automatically Listen
• You have to be qualified to be heard.
• Build your capacity as a student
advocate.
• Build your profile and influence.
• Separate yourself from the mass.
6

7. How to Improve my
chances?
Education /
Certificate/
Training
Development
Programmes
(Senate)
Participation/
Experience
Achievement/
Track Record
of Excellence
7

8. How to Scale in
Advocacy
1. Some issues affect more than one groups,
organizations, and countries.
2. In this case, scaling through partnerships and
collaboration is essential.
3. Climate Change- from grassroot to the international
stage.
8
Community
action-
sensitization
Town Hall-
Large-scale
mobilizations
Media
Campaigns
Impact-
Results and
Report

9. Advocacy
Essentials
(Scale)
Key Voice- Lead Advocate
with Experience to amplify
the campaign
Money- Raise Funds or
Sponsorship
Organization- Key resource
personnel, objectives,
structured meetings
9

10. Key takeaways
Stay woke Continue to believe in
what you believe in
Always take-action Money should never
hinder you
10

11. Supporting young people’s exploration of advocacy allows them to be agents of
themselves and of the future. In other words, advocacy is a critical part of
preparing young people to take on leadership roles.
11
“Empower, Engage, Excel: Student Leaders in Actions”