(Social Emotional Wellbeing) Social Worker 'Speaking for yourself' SEWB problems include a wide range of issues, such as: ‘grief, loss, trauma, abuse, violence, substance misuse, physical health problems, child development problems, gender identity issues, child removals, incarceration, cultural dislocation, racism and social disadvantage, while mental health problems may include crisis reactions, anxiety, states, depression, posttraumatic stress, self-harm, and psychosis. People who have gone through those issues must need to know their rights and should have clear identification of support they needed. For that, self-advocacy is the best solution as having a voice of your own, is fundamental to both asserting yourself and exploring yourself. This is important because it is directly linked to building confidence and self-esteem. It is important to have the possibility of talking about your life and your experiences so that who you are can be validated by others. In this way having a voice of your own has the power to construct your identity.
This journey of self-education is an ongoing process, as individual needs change over time. There are 10 steps that can be used to becoming an effective self-advocate. 8
