The Foundations of Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy: Knowing Yourself and Speaking Up
About this course
The Foundations of Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy: Knowing Yourself and Speaking Up
A Certificate of Completion for 1 hour professional development will be available for you to download upon completion of this course.
Someone asks, "What do you need?" and the answer is a blank. A support plan gets written, and the person it's about nods along. A student is told to speak up, then goes silent at exactly the point it mattered. Not because they can't speak up, but because nobody ever helped them work out what to say.
If this sounds familiar, whether it's your own experience or that of someone you care about or support, the missing piece may be self-determination.
Self-determination means knowing your own needs, strengths and preferences, and being the one who directs your own life, with support where you need it. It's the foundation that self-advocacy is built on. For many autistic, ADHD and AuDHD people, that foundation was never properly supported, through fewer chances to make real choices, decisions made on their behalf, and environments that rewarded fitting in over knowing themselves.
This course is for anyone who has been handed a script for speaking up with no idea what to put in it, or who has watched a child, student or adult go quiet when asked what they need, without understanding why.
Barb Cook, Registered Developmental Educator, researcher, and co-author of The Autism and Neurodiversity Self Advocacy Handbook, introduces what self-determination and self-advocacy actually mean, why self-knowledge comes first, and how to start building it at any age.
What This Course Covers
- What self-determination and self-advocacy mean, and why one comes before the other
- Why self-advocacy is a set of skills that can be built at any age, not a personality trait
- How fewer opportunities to choose, a focus on compliance, and decisions made on someone's behalf can limit self-knowledge from childhood
- Why reading body signals, recognising emotions and speaking up under pressure can be harder for autistic, ADHD and AuDHD people
- How self-advocacy can look different from person to person, including through writing, actions, visual supports and AAC
- Practical starting points for building self-knowledge and self-advocacy at home, school and work
Who This Course Is For
- Autistic, ADHD and AuDHD people wanting to understand and speak up for their own needs
- Parents and carers of autistic, ADHD and AuDHD children and young people
- Teachers and education support staff
- Allied health professionals and support workers
- Employers and anyone supporting an autistic, ADHD or AuDHD person
What You Will Gain
- A clear, plain-language understanding of self-determination and self-advocacy and how they connect
- Insight into why "I don't know" is often an honest answer, and where support needs to start
- Practical ways to build self-knowledge through real choices, gathering evidence and finding words that feel like your own
- A neuroaffirming approach to supporting self-advocacy by doing with, not doing for
- A foundation for the rest of this four-part series
This is the first in a four-part Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy series. Each course stands alone, so you're welcome to complete just this one or mix and match across the series to suit your needs.
This training course may be claimable for Self & Plan Managed NDIS Participants. Please check with your plan manager/LAC.
Course curriculum
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The Foundations of Self-Determination and Self-Advocacy: Knowing Yourself & Speaking Up
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Presentation Slides
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Recommended Readings (Books)
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Website Links
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About this course
- $35.00
- 1 hour of video content
- Certificate of Completion for 1 Hour Professional Development
- 60 Days to complete course
Grow your knowledge, starting today
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About the Presenter
Barb Cook, M.Aut.(Ed), Dip.HSc.(Nut)
Registered Developmental Educator | NDIS Registered Specialist Level Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner | Integrative Nutritionist
Barb Cook is a registered Developmental Educator, past Deputy Chair of the Developmental Educators Australia Incorporated (DEAI), NDIS registered Specialist Level Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner, and an Integrative Nutritionist.
Barb was diagnosed with ADHD, autism and dyslexia 2009 bringing a lived experience perspective alongside her clinical and research practice. She is a highly committed advocate, writer, editor, and highly sought-after international speaker. She has made appearances on Australian radio and television, in newspapers and magazines, and in the SBS television documentary The Chameleons: Women with Autism.
Barb holds a Master of Autism degree (education) from the University of Wollongong where she was also a researcher and co-project lead in the area of self-determination and self-advocacy for autistic teens and adults.
Barb takes a holistic approach in working with autistic/ADHD people and is dedicated to improving the overall well-being and quality of life for autistic, ADHD and dyslexic people. She is currently engaged in multiple research projects in the USA including a five year study on A Comparison of Two Brief Suicide Prevention Interventions Tailored for Youth on the Autism Spectrum, Comparing Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy versus Mindfulness-Based Therapy for Autistic Adults, and autism and ageing.
Barb is internationally recognised for her bestselling book on autism in women, Spectrum Women: Walking to the Beat of Autism with Dr Michelle Garnett, filling the gap in literature between lived experience of autistic women and the clinical knowledge. Barb’s second best-selling book co-authored with Yenn Purkis, The Autism and Neurodiversity Self-Advocacy Handbook: Developing Skills to Determine Your Own Future, is an essential guidebook that gives you the tools and strategies to advocate for yourself in any situation, developing your skills in standing up for yourself, your needs and wishes. Barb's third book, Planning Your Career Through Intense Interests is focused on assisting young autistic adults in navigating careers pathways.
Barb is founder of Spectrum Women Magazine and is a prolific writer on autism, ADHD and health and wellbeing.
Barb is a highly sought-after international speaker and presents on a variety of topics. Barb spoke at the World Autism Organisation Congress 2018 in Houston Texas, in 2019 she was invited by the United States government to keynote a special event “A Woman’s Voice: Understanding Autistic Needs” for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIHM) in Washington DC, USA and 2024 spoke with Dr Temple Grandin, Dr Rebecca Evanko and Taylor Heaton in Albuquerque, New Mexico USA at AutFest on autistic women.
Barb was awarded the “A Different Brilliant” award at the Aspect National Recognition Awards in Sydney and the Leadership Support Award from the Neurodiversity Academy in 2021. In 2017 she received a Special Commendation from Queensland’s Governor, his Excellency, Paul De Jersey for the Autism Queensland Creative Futures Awards.
Barb is a passionate motorcyclist and enjoys roller skating and rollerblading at an outdoor rink near her home, and riding her motorcycle which helps her practice self-care and effectively reduces anxiety and combats depression.
Visit www.neurodiversityhub.com/barb-cook/ and www.barbcook.com.au to learn more about Barb Cook.
Published research:
29 August 2024: Brief Report: Under-Identification of Symptomatic Menopause in Public-Insured Autistic People. Teal W. Benevides, Barb Cook, Laura G. Klinger, Kiley J. McLean, Gregory L. Wallace, Meghan E. Carey, Wei-Lin Lee, Jonas Ventimiglia, Lauren D. Schiff and Lindsay Shea. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06516-x https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-024-06516-x
19 May 2020: Listening to the autistic voice: Mental health priorities to guide research and practice in autism from a stakeholder-driven project. Teal W Benevides, Stephen Shore, May-Lynn Andresen, Barb Cook, Steven S. Coughlin, Dena L Gassner, Becca Lory Hector, and Lisa Morgan. Sage Journals: Autism doi.org/10.1177/1362361320908410 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1362361320908410
11 May 2020: Interventions to address health outcomes among autistic adults: A systematic review. Teal W. Benevides, Stephen Shore, May-Lynn Andresen, Reid Caplan, Barb Cook, Dena L Gassner, Jasmine M Erves, Taylor M Hazlewood, M Caroline King, Lisa Morgan, Lauren E Murphy, Yenn Purkis, Brigid Rankowski, Sarah M Rutledge, Savannah P Welch and Karl Wittig. Sage Journals: Autism. doi.org/10.1177/1362361320913664 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1362361320913664
