Your voice matters. Your experience can help create change.
Advocacy plays an important role in improving the lives of people living with lupus. By sharing personal experiences, raising awareness, and engaging with decision-makers, we can help shape policies that better reflect the needs of our community.
You don’t need political experience or specialized knowledge to become an advocate. Whether you’re living with lupus, supporting someone who is, or simply want to make a difference, your voice has value.
To help Canadians feel more confident and prepared to participate in advocacy, Lupus Canada partnered with GW Group to deliver Let’s Talk Lupus: Voices for Lupus – Community Advocates, a federal advocacy training session.
Through this lupus advocacy training and accompanying toolkit, you’ll gain practical knowledge, resources, and guidance to help turn your experiences into meaningful action.
About the Federal Advocacy Training
Building Knowledge, Confidence, and Community Voices
Advocacy is about more than raising awareness. It’s about building relationships, sharing experiences, and helping decision-makers understand how policies and programs affect people living with lupus.
Presented by Lupus Canada in collaboration with GW Group, Let’s Talk Lupus: Voices for Lupus – Community Advocateswas designed to help individuals better understand the advocacy process and feel more confident engaging with government representatives.
Whether you’re new to advocacy or looking to strengthen your skills, this training offers practical guidance on how to communicate effectively, share your story, and contribute to meaningful conversations about lupus in Canada.
Download the Advocacy Toolkit
What’s Inside the Toolkit?
- Key Messages and Advocacy Priorities: Important information about lupus in Canada and the issues Lupus Canada is advocating for.
- Preparing Your Message: Guidance on developing a clear, realistic request and organizing information into a briefing note.
- Understanding Who to Contact: Resources to help identify the appropriate government representatives and determine where to direct your concerns.
- Meeting Request Templates: Sample messages to help you reach out to elected officials and request meetings.
- Meeting Preparation and Etiquette: Practical tips for preparing, participating, and communicating effectively during government meetings.
- Following Up: Guidance on documenting conversations, identifying next steps, and maintaining relationships after meetings.
The toolkit is designed to be a resource you can return to whenever you need support preparing for an advocacy opportunity.
Please note: Government contacts, policies, and treatment coverage can change. Always verify current information before taking action.
Practical Tools to Help You Take the Next Step
Knowing where to begin can sometimes be the hardest part of advocacy.
That’s why Lupus Canada, in collaboration with GW Group, is sharing the Let’s Talk Lupus: Voices for Lupus – Community Advocates toolkit.
Designed to support patient advocates, this resource brings together practical information, templates, and guidance to help you prepare for conversations with government representatives and communicate your message with confidence.
Watch The Training
Let’s Talk Lupus: Voices for Lupus – Community Advocates
Missed the live session or want to revisit what you learned?
Watch the recording of Lupus Canada’s federal advocacy training, delivered in collaboration with GW Group.
This session provides an introduction to government engagement, lupus advocacy priorities, effective communication, and practical strategies for making your voice heard.
Whether you’re preparing to contact an elected official for the first time or looking to become more involved in advocacy, you can explore the training at your own pace.
Tip: Keep the Advocacy Toolkit nearby as you watch so you can follow along and explore the practical resources discussed during the session.
What You’ll Learn
Through the training, you’ll explore:
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Understanding government: Learn about the different levels of government in Canada and how their responsibilities influence health care, research, and support programs.
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Lupus Canada’s advocacy priorities: Understand the key issues Lupus Canada is bringing forward to federal decision-makers and why they matter to our community.
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Sharing your story: Discover how to communicate your personal experiences in a clear and meaningful way that helps decision-makers understand the realities of living with lupus.
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Engaging with elected officials: Learn how to prepare for meetings, identify the right contacts, and communicate your message effectively.
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Building lasting relationships: Explore how respectful, consistent engagement can help strengthen advocacy efforts over time.
The training also includes practical scenarios to help participants apply what they’ve learned.
What Is Lupus Canada Advocating For?
Lupus Canada works to ensure that the voices and experiences of people living with lupus are reflected in government decisions that affect their lives.
As highlighted in the federal advocacy training, two important national priorities are:
1. Increased Federal Funding for Lupus Research
Dedicated research funding is essential to advancing our understanding of lupus, improving treatments, and creating better outcomes for people living with the disease.
Lupus Canada is advocating for increased federal investment in dedicated lupus research to support scientific progress and improve the lives of Canadians affected by lupus.
2. Recognition of Lupus as a Critical Illness and Improved Access to Federal Supports
Lupus is a complex and often unpredictable disease. Its symptoms can fluctuate, and its impact is not always visible.
For many Canadians living with lupus, this can create challenges when accessing disability-related programs and financial supports.
Lupus Canada is advocating for recognition of lupus as a critical illness and for reduced barriers to federal support, including better recognition of episodic and invisible disabilities.
These priorities reflect the importance of ensuring that people living with lupus are heard, understood, and supported.
Turn Knowledge Into Action
Every Voice Has the Power to Make a Difference
Advocacy doesn’t always begin with a formal meeting or a conversation with an elected official.
Sometimes, it starts with learning more about an issue, sharing your experience, asking a question, or helping someone else better understand what living with lupus can mean.
Every conversation creates an opportunity to raise awareness and strengthen understanding.
By watching the training and exploring the Advocacy Toolkit, you’re taking an important step toward becoming a more informed and confident advocate.
And remember, you don’t have to navigate advocacy alone. Lupus Canada is here to provide guidance, resources, and support as you find ways to make your voice heard.
Interested in getting involved or have questions about advocacy?
Connect with Lupus Canada to learn more about how you can contribute to our advocacy efforts.
Together, we can continue working toward a future where the needs and experiences of people living with lupus are recognized, understood, and reflected in the decisions that affect their lives