Supporting Self-Advocacy Skills

Course Code: REL-IDD-0-TSAS

Hours: 0.5

Type: Online Course

Content Expiration Date: 9/30/2026

Learning Objectives:
Describe the importance of self-advocacy to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Distinguish between an advocate, a self-advocate, and an ally.
Identify three self-advocacy strategies a person might choose.
Explain how DSPs can support self-advocacy from the people they serve.

Outline:
Section 1: Introduction

About This Course

Learning Objectives

Section 2: Self-Advocacy Basics

What is Self-Advocacy?

Why is Self-Advocacy Important?

Legal Rights

Personal Power

Social Conditioning

Self-Advocacy Approaches

Advocates and Allies

Review

Summary

Section 3: How You Can Support Self-Advocacy

The DSP’s Role

How Can You Be an Ally?

Influence, Power, and Responsibility

Manage Your Influence

Empower the Person

Know Your Responsibility

Step Up or Step Back

Think Outside the Box

Review

Summary

Section 4: Conclusion

Course Summary

Course Contributor

References

Congratulations!

Instructor: Katy Kunst, MBA, QIDP

Katy Kunst received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and her Master of Business Administration from Elon University. She has 15 years of experience serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their supporters, including roles as direct support professional, program director, and training facilitator. She has created and facilitated training on topics including non-violent crisis interventions, person-centered planning, cultural competence, quality service delivery, regulatory compliance, and a variety of topics related to IDD services.

Target Audience:
The target audience for this course is: Direct Support Professionals; in the following settings: Intellectual Developmental Disabilities.

Relias Learning will be transparent in disclosing if any commercial support, sponsorship or co-providership is present prior to the learner completing the course.

Relias Learning has a grievance policy in place to facilitate reports of dissatisfaction. Relias Learning will make every effort to resolve each grievance in a mutually satisfactory manner. In order to report a complaint or grievance please contact Relias Learning at support@reliaslearning.com.

Course Delivery Method and Format
Asynchronous Distance Learning with interactivity which includes quizzes with questions/answers, and posttests.