EMPOWERMENT
and
ADVOCACY
What is EMPOWERMENT?
EMPOWERMENT
Empowerment refers to the development of self-
confidence, self-control, relationship with
others, and the firmness to gain political power
to achieve improved inputs quality.
Defined as the “process of increasing personal,
interpersonal, or political power so that
individuals can take action to improve their life
situations”
In a community, social workers help
people become empowered in two ways:
1. Personal Empowerment
This type of empowerment is attained by
persons who can directly control what is
happening in their own lives.
Ex. The person’s choice whether to accept a
certain job or not, or to participate in a
certain school activity.
2. Social Empowerment
This is the condition wherein people have the
access to OPPORTUNITIES and
RESOURCES in order to make personal
choices and maintain some control over the
environment. Certain policies in a society
influence the empowerment of a person. Social
empowerment maybe in a form of opportunities
and resources.
STRENGTHS PERSPECTIVE
1. It is important to identify and use the
community’s assets and strengths.
2. Community problems such as poverty, and
peace and order, among others, may be viewed
as avenues for improvement and growth.
Examples would be educated citizens who can
provide free tutorial classes to the children who
could not afford to go to school, so as to
improve their literacy skills.
3. Realize the direction of the community and
determine ways on how to improve it.
4. Allot time to work and be one with the members
of the community to be aware of issues as bases
for plan development and to achieve effective
results.
5. Provide care, support and help to the
community’s overall well-being.
In the Philippines, the United Nations
Development Program empowered Philippine tribes
to preserve nature and prevent conflict.
The empowered members of a community may
find ways to attain what is needed for them to make a
change, become more assertive, and develop
confidence. The members are also challenged to
become advocates themselves.
ADVOCACY
Advocacy defined as the active intervention of
community members to seek ways to obtain the
needed resources that are not available in the
community. It is also one way to change the
community regulations that affect the members
negatively.
Advocacy involves exerting efforts more than
what is necessary to accomplish a certain task. This
may include taking risks, especially when advocating
on a member’s side, against a more powerful
authority.
An advocate is one who speaks in behalf of the
community in order to achieve fair or equal treatment
or gain the needed resources. The following are the
roles of an advocate:
Speaking for the people and representing them
to those in authority.
Protecting those who are vulnerable.
Creating support to enhance social functioning.
Protecting and advancing claims of appeals
Advocacy programs are conducted by
various groups and institutions such as school,
communities, and business organizations.
‘Advocacy programs generally focus on one
particular concerns or issue related to an
institution, group, or community.
The following are examples of Advocacy
programs undertaken to address certain issues:
Advocacy Programs to Address Drug Abuse
“Barkada Kontra Droga” or Peer Groups Against Drugs
National Youth Congress on Drug Abuse Prevention and Control.
Advocacy Programs for the Environment
and Animal Welfare
Greenpeace Philippines
The World Wide Fund for Nature – Philippines
The Haribon Foundation
The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)
Advocacy Programs for Health
The Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health
Philippines
The United Nations World Food Programs
MEDIA and ADVOCACY
Media is an effective communication tool which
greatly aids in advocacy and fighting for
positive change in society. Media can help in the
exchange of ideas and perspective regarding an
issue, organize mass action, and aid in
collaboration among different groups which can
help them in the planning and conduct of their
advocacies.
In the Philippines, media has been used to support certain
advocacies and programs. For example, the internet has been
used to spread awareness of the cybercrime law and issues
such as online child pornography. The recent pork barrel scam
involving high-ranking government officials has been covered
extensively by the media and on social media. Another
significant use of social media is addressing natural disasters.
Citizen often post updates on social media regarding areas
affected by natural disasters or post updates and reminders
regarding disaster preparedness as well as the status of
calamities such as typhoons. The internet is also used to raise
awareness as well as collect donations for certain advocacies,
particularly those that volunteer to help the poor and
marginalized sectors.
Summary
Empowerment is the process of taking actions to
life situations of members by increasing their
personal, interpersonal and political power.
People in a community can be empowered in
two ways. The first one is Personal
Empowerment which can be attained by a
person who can directly control what is
happening in their own lives. The second, Social
Empowerment is the condition for the people
to have access to opportunities and resources to
make personal choices.
Summary
Six principles are present by the Strengths
Perspectives to fully empower a community.
These principles focus on the community’s
assets and providing care to the members.
Advocacy is the intervention of finding ways to
improve certain factors in a community to
achieve the goals of the members. The person in
charge of this role is termed as the Advocate
Summary
There are several advocacy programs conducted
by various groups that address issues on drug,
abuse, the environment, animal welfare, and
health.
Media is an effective communication tool to
spread awareness on different issues and
advocacy programs.
