Disclaimer – consider using the Incident Reporting Tool on the WUSA Webpage if you are experiencing immediate threats, harassment, or discrimination.
The Self-Advocacy Guide
This guide is here to help you get involved in advocacy at the University of Waterloo— and beyond. Whether it’s for yourself, your peers, or the larger campus community. It can be as simple as building confidence to advocating for large scale change on campus.
We’ll walk you through how to create an advocacy plan and how to navigate the ups and downs of making change.
Advocacy is a way to make your voice heard and drive positive change—whether that’s influencing decisions at Waterloo, accessing resources, or standing up for what matters to you. It’s all about making a difference and creating a better experience for students like you.
How WUSA Supports Advocacy
WUSA advocates for changes that improve student life, both inside and outside the classroom. We base our work on student feedback, surveys, and discussions with students, like you, to keep our focus on what matters most.
As a large organization, we focus our advocacy on broader student issues, rather than individual cases. When it comes to smaller-scale advocacy projects, we are happy to guide you, whether you’re aiming to shape university policies, raising awareness, or making sure your concerns, like academics, mental health, or student services, are heard and accounted for.
We hope this guide will support your advocacy efforts and connect you with the right resources.
In This Guide
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What is Advocacy
- How To Create a Strong Advocacy Plan
- Find the Root Cause
- Build a Clear Message
- Identify Your Audience
- Choose Your Methods
- Implement Your Plan
- Prepare for Obstacles
- Prioritize Self-Care
- Know Your Resources
Know Your Resources
Navigating university life and advocating for change doesn’t have to be daunting. There are plenty of resources at Waterloo to help you stay informed, get support, and make your voice heard. Here are some of the best resources available for students who want to advocate for themselves and others:
Is there something you would like to include? Think we missed? We would love to hear more from you! Reach out to Amrit Khaira, Advocacy Specialist.
