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Helping Your Child Help Themselves

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A Student-Centered Approach to Self-Advocacy for Children and Youth who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Join APSEA specialists with professional and lived experience for this engaging series exploring strategies for the promotion of self-advocacy skills in children and youth at home, school, in sport and in leisure. You are welcome to register for one, two or all three sessions.

Developing self-advocacy skills is a lifelong process and children are never too young to start. Being able to speak up for yourself, ask for things you need, and share with others what is important to you helps a person to thrive in school, work and the community.

Join APSEA specialists Hannah Wade, who herself identifies as hard of hearing, and Janice Gavin as they guide participants through discussions in this series, examining advocacy and how parents can empower their children to effectively advocate for themselves at home, school, and in the community.

Intended Participants:

  • Parents, caregivers, and adult family members of Deaf or hard of hearing children and youth

Facilitators:
Hannah Wade, APSEA Teacher for children and youth who are Deaf and hard of hearing
Janice Gavin, APSEA Counsellor for children and youth Deaf and hard of hearing


Session 1: Home, School and Community

Parents will examine the concept of self- advocacy for their child and what that might look like in the home, community and at school.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

  1. identify situations where they have advocated for their child
  2. identify self- advocacy opportunities for their child
  3. discuss ways to encourage their child to self-advocate

Session 2: Technology, Accommodations and Communication

Parents will expand their understanding and discover strategies related to self-advocacy in the areas of technology, school accommodations and communication.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

  1. identify situations where their child could self-advocate for technology
  2. identify situations where their child could self-advocate for educational accommodations
  3. describe situations where their child could self-advocate for accessible communication
  4. explore strategies for self-advocacy in a variety of situations

Session 3: Sports and Leisure

Parents will experience a firsthand account of advocacy in sports and leisure. Strategies and creative solutions will be discussed.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

  1. expand their understanding of advocacy to the world of sport and leisure
  2. explore low-tech and high-tech solutions to improve accessibility and communication
  3. discuss a first-hand account of solutions used for access in sports
  4. identify the role of self-advocacy strategies in sport and leisure