Self Advocacy

This program commenced in January 2022 and has grown from strength to strength.

The Self-Advocacy Programme is part of the DFI advocacy strategy to support the UN CRPD implementation in the community. The Programme is delivered in partnership with our member organisations, their key workers and service owners /self-advocates. All participants have played an active role in developing the program and have identified the key resources, tools and skills they require.

More than 36 Members were engaged with the Programme in 2022 and 2023. Group discussions on
topics included:
• The structures and resources required todevelop self-advocacy.
• The potential for collaboration, networking and sharing of resources and training between members.
• The training needed for key workers and the challenges for key workers in promoting and empowering self-advocacy.
• The experiences, opportunities and challenges for self-advocates

As part of the programme we are developing  website resources on self-advocacy.

A panel of DFI spokespersons with disabilities has been developed and media training has taken place in March 2023 and November 2023. 

Check out our video here in which the participants share their experiences of the media training.

DFI worked with HSE CHO 1 and Inclusion Ireland to provide self-advocacy training to over 100 participants in late 2022. 

ENDS