Self-Advocacy... Self-WHAT?
- Kalina
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Written by: Kalina Gregory (Social Work Placement Student)
Self advocacy...
Why is it that, as neurodivergent individuals, we find it easier to advocate for others rather than ourselves? I can advocate for my children, my peers, colleagues and the broader community any day of the week, but for myself? No thank-you.
Neurodivergent individuals often carry a strong sense of justice and feel things deeply and care passionately, especially about protecting others from unfair or misguided treatment. But somewhere along the way, that same energy doesn’t always extend back to ourselves.
So what actually is self- advocacy and why is it important in an education or workplace setting?
Self- advocacy is the act of speaking up for yourself, communicating your needs and requesting accommodations to ensure equity. It does not mean we have to yell or shout, it simply means expressing what YOU need to function at YOUR best.
So why can't we self-advocate for ourselves?
Well, for me, advocating for someone else can feel less personal. The fear of failure doesn’t feel quite so heavy, because rejection doesn’t land in the same way. It doesn’t feel like a reflection of us. But when it comes to ourselves, the stakes feel higher, and the vulnerability can be harder to sit with.
Research shows that neurodivergent individuals are frequently required to adapt to systems that are not designed for their own minds. This can lead to emotional exhaustion, anxiety and burnout, identity conflict, and reduced wellbeing. Over time, this can make it even harder to recognise our needs, let alone feel confident enough to voice them.
As a late-diagnosed neurodivergent woman, I am only just beginning to understand why self-advocacy is important and how to actually do it in different areas of my life. This feels especially relevant as a university student currently completing my first 500-hour social work placement, where I’m navigating both education and workplace environments at the same time. Recently, I had to advocate for myself while applying for a university scholarship, and honestly, wow.. that felt nearly impossible. It was such a big hurdle to overcome.
Learning to treat myself with the same compassion and urgency that I would offer others is so important… and it’s something I am still learning. One of the biggest barriers I’ve found is knowing how to communicate, what language to use when you know you need support, but aren’t quite sure how to ask for it.
That’s exactly why, while working at Diverse and Thriving, I’ve created a free resource with common accommodation requests and example scripts to help take some of that uncertainty away.
Because WE deserve the same support we so freely give to everyone else.
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