The Act of Advocating

As counselors, we have many roles in our profession, but one of the most important roles is serving as an advocate for our students. Many times students aren't able to speak up for themselves, they are placed on the back burner, or they feel like they have no one to voice their concerns to. That is where we come in! We are here to promote equity and provide all of the necessary tools and resources for our students to succeed. Students should know that they have a counselor that will stand up for them, and that is why this blog post will help you gain a clearer understanding of what an advocate is, why we serve as advocates and the best practices to do so.

Advocacy - promotion of the well-being of individuals, groups, and the counseling profession within systems and organizations. Advocacy seeks to remove barriers and obstacles that inhibit access, growth, and development.

Advocate- a person who speaks, writes or acts to promote the well-being of students, parents/guardians and the school counseling profession. School counselors advocate to close the information, opportunity, intervention and attainment gaps for all students.

According to the ACA Code of Ethics:

~counselors advocate at individual, group, institutional, and societal levels to address potential barriers and obstacles that get in the way of access and/or the growth and development of students.

~counselors should also obtain consent from the student before making an effort to improve services or remove barriers to protect themselves and the identification of the student.

According to the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors we must:

~advocate for appropriate safeguards and protocols so that our students personal information can not be easily accessed by those who do not have the right to obtain it.

advocate for the ethical use of student data and records and inform administration of inappropriate or harmful practices.

~advocate for the equal right and access to free education for all youth no matter their housing status, disability, foster care, special education status, mental health or any other exceptionality or special need.

~advocate for equal access to technology for all students

~advocate for a school counseling program that is open and available to all students

~advocate when requested to perform “non-school-counseling” tasks identified by “The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs” as inappropriate to the school counselor’s role.

These are some of the key points that all counselors should be aware of in their profession. Advocate for your students, your community and yourself in order to keep the school morale. Everyone matters and when they feel supported, that is a reward in itself!

- Counselor’s Circle