the essential guide - Texas Council on Family Violence
Share Embed Flag
Download ePaper

the essential guide - Texas Council on Family Violence

the essential guide - Texas Council on Family Violence the essential guide - Texas Council on Family Violence

tcfv.org
11.07.2015 Views

Framework for AdvocacyAdvocating for survivors—individuals who are in a time of crisis— is difficult. As you work with survivorsto improve ong>theong>ir lives, ask yourself how you would you tackle ong>theong> survivor’s situation. Put yourself in ong>theong>person’s shoes. And consider that you are asking someone to jump hurdles in a time of crises, which isconsiderably more difficult than for someone who is not facing those same obstacles.Break large challenges into small ones and don’t ask a survivor to tackle something larger than life. Theyalready are.Empowerment-Based Advocacy recognizes individuals are ong>theong> experts in ong>theong>ir own lives and creates anenvironment where survivors make choices about ong>theong>ir lives.Advocates practicing empowerment-based advocacy recognize competency and offer support,information, and resources. Advocates highlight options and allow space for survivors to explore optionsand come to a decision about ong>theong> next step. Empowerment-based advocacy helps survivors to developskills to be self-sufficient and independent in ong>theong> future.Advocacy can be practiced in many different ways, following many models and philosophical foundations.The movement to end violence against women has been traditionally rooted in empowering women tomake ong>theong>ir own decisions about ong>theong>ir lives.Here are some concrete ideas for incorporating Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs into day-to-day advocacywork:Always Check in About ong>theong>BasicsCheck-in with survivors inshelter in order to make sureneeds relating to food,clothing, shelter and sleep arebeing met. Be particularlysensitive to survivors’ basicneeds during times oftransition. Entering shelter isoften frightening. It may bedifficult to adjust to communalliving, unfamiliar surroundingsand different foods. Takingtime to make sure that basicneeds are met and, to ong>theong>greatest extent possible,offering a sense of familiarityor consistency lays a strongfoundation for survivors tomove forward on oong>theong>r goals.Maslow’s Hierarchy of NeedsTHE ESSENTIAL GUIDE: AN INTRODUCTION TO ADVOCATING FOR SURVIVORS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE18 | P a g e

Focus on SafetySurvivors of family violence experience extensive trauma at ong>theong> hands of someone who was supposed tolove and protect ong>theong>m. That betrayal often shakes ong>theong> foundations of trust and undermines any sense ofemotional safety. Often, survivors will struggle with feeling unsafe even after ong>theong>ir physical safety needsare met. They may be reluctant to trust anyone and might be waiting for any sign that you will hurt ong>theong>mtoo.You can help survivors slowly build trust and feel safe by being consistent: Be respectful. Be on time. Follow through on work concerning your clients.Model Healthy RelationshipsSome survivors may have had many healthy and supportive relationships in ong>theong>ir lives; oong>theong>rs may haveexperienced nothing but abuse at ong>theong> hands of friends and family. Each survivor will be different. Treateveryone you meet with healthy communication, good boundaries and respectful conflict resolution.Help Turn Goals into SuccessesFind out what motivates ong>theong> survivors you work with and help ong>theong>m visualize ong>theong>ir hopes and dreams.Help clarify goals and break ong>theong>m down in smaller action steps. Provide positive feedback at everyopportunity. Survivors tell advocates that bruises heal quickly but ong>theong> effects of verbal and emotionalabuse linger for years. They have endured years of being told that ong>theong>y are worthless, incapable, andworse. Providing consistent positive feedback is a way to counteract that abuse. Recognize and praisesurvivors for each positive step ong>theong>y make, taking into consideration that for some small successes aregrand successes and work with ong>theong>m toward achieving ong>theong>ir goals by encouraging ong>theong>m to be proud ofong>theong>ir own successes.Empower Oong>theong>rs to be Their BestBefore you can empower oong>theong>rs you must firsthave an understanding and acceptance of who youare. You must go through ong>theong> process of selfactualization.Self-actualization is about knowingand accepting who you are so that you can becomeyour very best self. Knowing and acceptingyourself, helps you support survivors on ong>theong>ir pathto self-actualization. When you work to empower“Be ong>theong> change that you wish to seein ong>theong> world.” – Mahatma Gandhioong>theong>rs to identify and meet ong>theong>ir needs, engage in healthy relationships and support and recognizeoong>theong>rs’ achievements, you support ong>theong>m on ong>theong>ir path to self-actualization.Coalition Building and ong>theong> Bigger PicturePart of working as an advocate means understanding some complex and intricate systems that are keysto housing, public assistance and oong>theong>r vital resources that will only improve ong>theong> options you have toempower survivors. You should commit yourself to developing relationships and build alliances withcommunity partners.THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE: AN INTRODUCTION TO ADVOCATING FOR SURVIVORS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE19 | P a g e

Framework for AdvocacyAdvocating for survivors—individuals who are in a time of crisis— is difficult. As you work with survivorsto improve <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir lives, ask yourself how you would you tackle <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> survivor’s situati<strong>on</strong>. Put yourself in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>pers<strong>on</strong>’s shoes. And c<strong>on</strong>sider that you are asking some<strong>on</strong>e to jump hurdles in a time of crises, which isc<strong>on</strong>siderably more difficult than for some<strong>on</strong>e who is not facing those same obstacles.Break large challenges into small <strong>on</strong>es and d<strong>on</strong>’t ask a survivor to tackle something larger than life. Theyalready are.Empowerment-Based Advocacy recognizes individuals are <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> experts in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir own lives and creates anenvir<strong>on</strong>ment where survivors make choices about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir lives.Advocates practicing empowerment-based advocacy recognize competency and offer support,informati<strong>on</strong>, and resources. Advocates highlight opti<strong>on</strong>s and allow space for survivors to explore opti<strong>on</strong>sand come to a decisi<strong>on</strong> about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> next step. Empowerment-based advocacy helps survivors to developskills to be self-sufficient and independent in <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g> future.Advocacy can be practiced in many different ways, following many models and philosophical foundati<strong>on</strong>s.The movement to end violence against women has been traditi<strong>on</strong>ally rooted in empowering women tomake <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir own decisi<strong>on</strong>s about <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>ir lives.Here are some c<strong>on</strong>crete ideas for incorporating Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs into day-to-day advocacywork:Always Check in About <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>BasicsCheck-in with survivors inshelter in order to make sureneeds relating to food,clothing, shelter and sleep arebeing met. Be particularlysensitive to survivors’ basicneeds during times oftransiti<strong>on</strong>. Entering shelter isoften frightening. It may bedifficult to adjust to communalliving, unfamiliar surroundingsand different foods. Takingtime to make sure that basicneeds are met and, to <str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>greatest extent possible,offering a sense of familiarityor c<strong>on</strong>sistency lays a str<strong>on</strong>gfoundati<strong>on</strong> for survivors tomove forward <strong>on</strong> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>the</str<strong>on</strong>g>r goals.Maslow’s Hierarchy of NeedsTHE ESSENTIAL GUIDE: AN INTRODUCTION TO ADVOCATING FOR SURVIVORS OF FAMILY VIOLENCE18 | P a g e

logo

products

Resources

Company

Terms of service
Privacy policy
Cookie policy
Cookie settings
Imprint
Change language
Made with love in Switzerland
© 2024 Yumpu.com all rights reserved

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!