Self-advocacy means: learning about your rights and responsibilities, speaking up for yourself, helping one another solve problems and make decisions, and getting involved in the community through voting, legislation, and activism, as well as through community service.

As people with developmental disabilities become stronger self-advocates, they have an active say in their programs and services; they learn to be more independent and confident; they learn to be more assertive and feel better about themselves; they learn to help others and work for positive change; and they educate the public about the capabilities of people with developmental disabilities, working to increase respect and acceptance.

Many individuals learn self-advocacy skills through an ongoing group process. There are many self-advocacy groups in Los Angeles County. They are listed in the Directory of Support Groups.

Self-advocacy groups jointly form the basis of the self-advocacy movement, a civil rights movement where the disability community uses its powerful voice to work for the same access and civil rights as all citizens. There are local, statewide, national and international self-advocacy groups. The California statewide organization is People First of California. Our national organization is Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered. There are self-advocacy groups in Korea, Australia, Italy, Scandinavia, and other countries. Although it is not required, many groups have the words "People First" as part of their name, such as People First of Springville. We want society to recognize that we are "people first" and our disabilities are secondary.

If you are interested in free trainings to start self-advocacy groups, contact us.