All voices matter.

When I was studying for my Speech Sciences degree, I cannot remember ever learning about the word 'advocacy.'

That's not to say we didn't learn this word, but was it discussed enough in lectures to have made an obvious impact? Ten years later, and I feel that this word could be the definition of our job. It underpins everything we do.

Everyone has the right to communicate. Communication defines our every day interactions and experiences. The devastating impact of a communication impairment is rarely considered unless directly experienced.

From the moment we wake, until the moment we go to sleep. Our needs, wants, feelings and thoughts are all defined by our opportunities to communicate.

By fortune of working with some inspirational young people, I have learned that my role is not just to advocate but to teach advocacy skills. This will look different based on each individual's needs.

For one young person, it involved thinking about what mattered the most to her. She said "Talk to me, not about me." She expressed this via her eye gaze communication aid. She also politely requested people to not touch her screen. Something that occurred very regularly!

For another young person, we visited the community and discussed shop access. How it made him feel when shops did not have working lifts, especially if there was an upstairs section. We talked about feelings but importantly, what we can do about it.

This led to an activity where we wrote a letter to the shop concerned.

Self-Advocacy is something I feel passionate about. How we teach it and how we create a world where communication difficulties are better understood.