How Social Skills Training Helps Teens Advocate for Themselves
Self-advocacy is a crucial life skill, especially for teens on the autism spectrum. It involves understanding and communicating one's needs, which leads to empowerment and personal autonomy. As social confidence grows, so does the ability to self-advocate. In this blog, we explore how social skills training fosters self-advocacy in teens.
1. Understanding Self-Advocacy:
Self-advocacy is the ability to understand and communicate one's own needs effectively. It involves making choices, problem-solving, and seeking accommodations. For teens with autism, self-advocacy can be particularly empowering, allowing them to take control of their lives.
2. Building Social Confidence:
Through our social skills training programs, teens learn essential communication skills, such as initiating conversations, understanding social cues, and managing social anxiety. As their social confidence increases, they become more comfortable expressing their needs and preferences.
3. Developing Problem-Solving Skills:
Advocacy often involves problem-solving. Our training helps teens practice identifying problems and brainstorming solutions. For example, they learn how to handle teasing or manage disagreements, skills that are directly applicable to self-advocacy situations.
4. Enhancing Self-Awareness:
A key component of self-advocacy is self-awareness. Teens need to understand their strengths and challenges to effectively communicate their needs. Our programs provide teens with the language and tools to describe their experiences objectively, which is essential for self-advocacy.
5. Practicing Self-Advocacy:
We encourage teens to practice self-advocacy in a supportive environment. Role-playing scenarios and structured exercises help them rehearse what to say and how to say it. This practice builds their confidence to advocate in real-life situations.
6. Involving Parents and Educators:
Supporting self-advocacy involves collaboration. We work with parents and educators to ensure they understand the importance of self-advocacy and encourage their support. By observing adults advocate on their behalf, teens learn valuable advocacy skills.
7. Encouraging Goal-Setting:
Involving teens in goal-setting helps them take ownership of their needs and aspirations. When teens set their own goals, they are more motivated to advocate for the resources and accommodations they need to achieve them.
Social skills training is a powerful tool for fostering self-advocacy in teens. By building social confidence, enhancing self-awareness, and practicing advocacy skills, we empower teens to take control of their lives and advocate for their needs. As they become more proficient in these areas, they gain the autonomy and empowerment that self-advocacy brings.
If you’re interested in learning more about how our social skills training can help your teen develop self-advocacy skills, consider enrolling in our 16-week PEERS® Social Skills Training for Adolescents and Young Adults. Enrollments are now open for our August intake, with the program starting on August 13. REGISTER HERE.