Part II: Advocacy For People With Disabilities

Dr. Reginald Mengi has for a long time been good advocate for people with disabilities.

Activities under Advocacy

These are the basic and vivid deeds done by the advocate groups. Basically there are seven fundamental activities that the advocate groups must do for the betterment of their movement. The following are the ones;

1. Lobbying

Lobbying is the intentional use of every resource available to influence the decision making and get desirable mass favors. Lobbying is the backbone of any advocacy movement to change the system, to win over the hearts and the minds of the public. Think of any activity which can easily change the hearts and minds of the majority and the custodians.

2. Planning the permanent activities

The critical ideas should be considered. You must plan and revisit your plans, get your public mood so as to suit the situation, consider the condition when to advance and when to draw, reconstruct ideas again and get revived for next level of the movement.

3. Communicating

Communication is the heart of every advocacy movement. To win over the hearts and the minds of the public you have to communicate so as to fill in the domains of the public. Make sure that the public is with you at every stage of the movement.

4. Dissemination of information

To disseminate information is to keep your public informed of any level of the advocacy movement. Disseminate any success you get, give relevant information about your course. You must trumpet even a very small success of your movement. Disseminate about identical information, that is, to make comparison of other successful individuals and countries which underwent the same condition and the movements as what you are trying to carry on with. Exemplify those successful individuals with disabilities and their success.

5. Co-opting

In advocacy movement, co-opting is the act and process of performing multi-tasking in your movement. Artistic groups and experts can be involved during the course of your advocacy movement. For example the musicians of great influence to society can be invited to your movement groups. These artistic groups and experts socially link human society.

6. Showing the way

Showing the way is, for the purpose of advocacy movement for people with disability a demonstration of real acts for what you are advocating for. You have to talk and act at the same time. For example, if the advocacy is for the inclusive society- you also have to include people with disabilities in your movement groups. This will help to activate the hearts and the minds of the public.

7. Collaborating

Collaboration is a working practice whereby individuals work together towards a common purpose to achieve desired ends. Being ready to work together with others.

“Think Inclusively ~~~ Act Inclusively ~~~ Create an Inclusive Nation”