Social Justice Advocacy: Community Collaboration and Systems Advocacy

Abstract

This article discusses the community collaboration and systems advocacy domains of the ACA (American Counseling Association) Advocacy Competencies (J. A. Lewis, M. S. Arnold, R. House, & R. L. Toporek, 2002). A case illustration is presented, and the 8 Advocacy Competencies within each domain are applied to the case study.

Facilitating Trainees' Multicultural Development and Social Justice Advocacy Through a Refugee/Immigrant Mental Health Program

“…However, the ACA Advocacy Competencies (Lewis et al, 2002) and the work of other scholars (e.g., Lopez-Baez & Paylo, 2009;Vera & Speight, 2003) argue for the importance of advocacy at the system level to create change and that counselors can position themselves as allies for others or leaders in the community for system change. Although the participants clearly advocated as community allies, they did not intervene at the system level, nor were they directly instructed or given tools to do so.…”

Infusing Social Justice Advocacy into Counselor Education: Strategies and Recommendations

“…Case studies and films that highlight issues of oppression can be used within the classroom to help students identify systems of oppression and privilege and develop advocacy skills (Lopez-Baez & Paylo, 2009). In using a case study, students can identify themes of oppression and privilege.…”

Counselor Professional Identity: Findings and Implications for Counseling and Interprofessional Collaboration

“…Although the counseling profession continues to struggle with articulating a clear professional identity in the face of decreasing resources, counselors are addressing some of the nation's most complex social issues, issues that may increase the risk of, or exacerbate, concerns such as school dropout, poverty, discrimination, substance abuse, and chronic illness and disability. Recognizing that no single profession can effectively address all these issues in isolation, the counseling profession is increasingly emphasizing collaboration as a best practice strategy for addressing interrelated social issues across school, family, and community systems (Lopez-Baez & Paylo, 2009). Collaborative consultation, for example, is one of the primary models school counselors have embraced to address the evolving and diverse needs of students, schools, and the families they serve (Woodward & Davis, 2009).…”