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Home >> Advocacy Project >> Advocacy Goals
Goals of the BCCPAC Advocacy Project
The Advocacy Project has four goal areas.
Goal Area 1
To assist parent leaders with information and support for their role as representatives of the parents at their school
This is called systems advocacy--speaking or acting on behalf of a group.
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A school PAC is a systems advocate when it represents its parent members to the school board, principal, or staff. This advocacy role is recognized in the BC School Act which gives parent advisory councils the right, through their elected executives, to advise the school board, principal, and staff on any matter relating to the school.
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The DPAC is a systems advocate for PACs--it represents the needs and interests of its member PACs at the district level. Under the School Act, DPACs may advise their school boards on any matter relating to education in the school district.
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BCCPAC is a systems advocate for its member PACs and DPACs throughout BC. It represents the parent voice to government and education partners.
Goal Area 2
To assist parent leaders with their role as mentors for individual parents striving to be effective natural advocates for their children
This is called self-advocacy--speaking or acting on behalf of oneself, and includes natural advocacy--speaking or acting in support of another person with whom one is in a close relationship.
Most of us would agree that problems are best solved by the parties directly involved. When people speak up for themselves, they are acting as self-advocates. Self-advocates are often in the best position to influence others and solve problems.
Students in our public schools are often unable to speak up for themselves. They need others to understand, support, and speak for or with them. Parents are natural advocates for their children. A natural advocate is a person in a close relationship who would ordinarily stand up for another. In addition to parents, other family members, neighbours, and friends can be natural advocates for children.
PACs and DPACs have an important role in promoting natural advocacy. Through parent education, they can help parents understand advocacy and become better natural advocates for their children. They can also inform parents about children’s rights, and give them information about their school and district that will help them advocate for students.
Goal Area 3
Suspended pending review by June 2009.
Members can click here for further information regarding the suspension of this goal.
Goal Area 4
To assist parent leaders to promote self-advocacy for students
This is called student self-advocacy.
Students, both individually and collectively, have important things to say about their education and their school. Unlike parents, however, students do not have an advisory right in our education system.
BCCPAC promotes and supports student self-advocacy. Parent leaders at the provincial, district, and school levels have an important role in encouraging our education system to recognize the right of young people to be heard.
Through PACs and DPACs, parents can work together to ensure that our schools place increased importance on receiving student input. School communities need appropriate and well-defined ways to encourage student self-advocacy.
The above material has been excerpted from DPAC Advocacy:
A Manual For District Parent Advisory Council Advocacy Projects.
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