Lupus Canada Advokit

Introduction

The more information you have, the more easily you can face the challenges related to living with lupus.

The unpredictable 'flares' of lupus can severely affect many aspects of daily life. As a result, you may often turn to family, friends, the medical system, government and other services for help. This can sometimes be a frustrating and unsettling experience.

This kit was developed by Lupus Canada as a support resource, to provide you with information, skills, advocacy tips and techniques. It is our goal to help you learn about your rights, what supports are available, and how to go about getting what you need.

The material in this kit was compiled to help you advocate for yourself or someone else. When the kit uses the term 'you' it refers to you personally or the person who is advocating on your behalf.

Although this kit focuses on an individual approach to advocacy, we recognize that individual efforts are just one facet of advocacy. Broader coalitions and systemic advocacy efforts are a very important part of the advocacy picture, but they are beyond the scope of this kit.

This kit is intended as a starting point. While it is important for you to take action yourself, you are not alone. Every province has a lupus association which is there to direct you to support programs and local resources. Along with Lupus Canada, they are your partners in advocacy.

We live in a time of constant change. Agencies and programs rise and fall, laws and regulations are constantly being rewritten. We hope to provide regular updates to your association, to ensure that the kit will continue to be helpful.

You will certainly come up with your own style of advocacy, techniques, supports and resources. We welcome any suggestions or additions you might have to offer.

The kit consists of five main sections:

Individual Advocacy

• Describes different ways to advocate, and some of the issues that may emerge;
  
• Deals with support systems and networks, rights and entitlements;
  
• Outlines advocating for yourself, and what makes advocating for others different, with particular stress on empowerment;
  
• Addresses taking legal action as an option and outlines some court decisions;

Taking Control

• Outlines the various levels of government and how to approach an office or agency;
  
• Confirms your right to be in charge of your own life;
  
• Walks through a sample advocacy situation, and provides a few tools to help;

Resources

• Outlines many resources on a federal and provincial level, and how to contact your local lupus associations.

Go for it!

• Encourages you to use the information in this kit to make your life as empowered, independent and active as possible.

A Few More Tools

• Definitions of some words and expressions in this kit that might be unfamiliar to you;