Advocacy

Advocacy
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Advocacy
Early last month, I participated in a campaign called #PositiveLiving, which desired to create awareness of sexual and reproductive health. The campaign focused on the issue of HIV, especially among the youth and young adults in Orange County, California. Regional networks of young people worked in close association with organizations such as UNAIDS and UN Population Fund to raise HIV awareness in the region. Besides educating young people on matters of sexual and reproductive health, the campaign inspired the community to reduce stigma towards prime populations. Besides local community programs, participants used social media to broadcast information regarding prevention and treatment of HIV. Social media provided an excellent platform and environment for key young communities to receive education and air out their views concerning HIV/AIDs.
The California-based campaign was a community advocacy program. As both participants and social workers, we represented the needs of the community at the mezzo level. Precisely, we concentrated on key young populaces who based on recent statistic are at a greater risk of contracting HIV when compared to their older equivalents. In addition to holding town and community meetings, we educated the target population about sexual and reproductive health through social media.
Social workers who also serve as activists face security risks, especially when operating in environments that may involve violence.

Also, the threat of reputational loss is high for this group of social workers. According to Sabo, Ingram, Reinschmidt, and Schachter (2013), advocacy is a high-profile event that requires sufficient knowledge on specific issues. Consequently, decisions to engage in advocacy must be based on both adequate experience and expertise from particular fields to avoid reputational damages. Social worker advocates also face expectation risks when they create unrealistic hopes among supporters, beneficiaries, participants, or partners.

Reference
Sabo, S., Ingram, M., Reinschmidt, K. M., Schachter, K., Jacobs, L., de Zapien, J. G., & … Carvajal, S. (2013). Predictors and a framework for fostering community advocacy as a community health worker core function to eliminate health disparities. American Journal of Public Health, 103(7), e67-e73.