By Jennifer Whittaker and Liz Marler
This article is a part of the May/June 2018, Volume 30, Number 3, Audiology Today issue.
As members of the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) Board, we often hear that one of the greatest challenges local SAA chapters and our student members face is incorporating advocacy into their daily and chapter activities. When students think about advocacy, it tends to be on a large scale. We envision pictures of students standing in front of the Capitol in Washington, DC. with their folders, clipboards, and leave-behinds. We think about our classmates and friends who participated in National Day at Your State Capital Day (NDAYSCD) and traveled to the state capital to speak to representatives. Yes, this is the epitome of the advocacy dream; however, advocacy occurs on many different levels and in a variety of capacities.
Macroadvocacy works to understand issues and develop solutions that persist in larger networks within the state or across the nation. Professional organizations advocate on behalf of audiologists; however, that is not where macroadvocacy stops. SAA chapters initiate advocacy for legislative efforts at the state (such as NDAYSCD) and national levels.
Mesoadvocacy focuses on local communities, schools, and organizations through education and public awareness. From a student perspective, this level of advocacy is extremely accessible. Local SAA chapters can organize initiatives, such as school-based educational campaigns, or participate in national initiatives, for example the “Ask Me About Audiology” campaign. Mesoadvocacy allows for an individual or group to make a large difference without the pressure of large-scale advocacy.
Microadvocacy impacts individual change, working with patients and families to support them through their hearing loss journey. This is as simple as encouraging and equipping patients to advocate on behalf of their hearing loss in a setting like a restaurant or movie theater, or in a personal conversation. Being a microadvocate may also include someone seeing you wear earplugs at a concert or sharing a cool ear fact at the family dinner table. Microadvocacy happens every day, and it only takes one person—you! How are you contributing to microadvocacy efforts in your daily environment?
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