Most people, while talking about advocacy skills, conjure up an image of a legal professional, presenting the case of his/her client in the court of law. This is primarily due to the fact that people consider advocacy to be the cross-examination of a criminal or a client by an advocate. However, the term advocacy holds a deeper meaning as it encircles apt actions taken by individuals in order to solve a problem, catering to legislative rights and interests alongside. Based on this definition, advocacy branches into different forms that are taught to students studying in the top law colleges in Delhi.
Types Of Advocacy
Given that advocacy is the action taken by an individual, its different types are based on the aspects of the exact action being taken. Thus, advocacy can be categorized, as follows:
- Self-Advocacy: With respect to this type of advocacy, individuals take action to represent themselves, thereby advancing their own interests.
- Peer Advocacy: When people take action to safeguard the rights and interests of someone other than themselves, it is called peer advocacy.
- Systems Advocacy: In case the action taken by an advocate is likely to influence various social, political, and economic systems, thereby bringing about a change for a particular section of people, it is known as systems advocacy.
- Legal Advocacy: When the action taken includes hiring the services of attorneys, along with the use of legal or administrative procedures in order to establish or protect legal rights, it is known as legal advocacy.
Key Advocacy Skills And The Best Ways To Develop Them
Advocacy skills can prove highly advantageous for individuals in a plethora of situations, thereby enabling them to solve a wide range of problems faced by the society that envelopes them. However, this is possible only if an individual masters the various advocacy skills that can help them to gain better control over the given situation and problems, in order to solve them effectively. The most important of these skills are discussed as follows:
Clearly Defining The Problem
The ability to clearly define the problem is perhaps the most important advocacy skill that individuals need to develop as it helps in eliminating the probable wastage of valuable time and efforts. The development of this skill requires individuals to explore every in-depth aspect of the problem, thereby enabling them to distinguish major issues from petty problems.
Identifying Appropriate Advocacy Type
Every problem is unique and can be resolved by following a specific type of advocacy. Hence, it is extremely important to develop the skills required to identify the most appropriate advocacy type, in order to solve a problem in an effective manner. For most students, who are enrolled in the best law colleges in India, learning such skills forms an integral part of their course curriculum. Others develop these skills by seeking advice from reliable experts and also through their personal experiences.
Building Expertise
The skill of building expertise in a specific type of advocacy is essential for ensuring the successful resolution of a problem. The best way to develop such skills is to educate oneself about the various aspects of specific issues and the most suitable type of advocacy required for the same. Thorough research needs to be executed about any similar or related problems that have occurred in the past, for such instances shed light on the various ways in which they were handled and resolved.
Maintaining Proper Records
Efficient record keeping is a vital skill desired for enhancing the effectiveness of all types of advocacy. This involves the filing of all proper written records that encircle meetings, telephonic conversations, and written communications. This skill helps individuals to be well aware of all the facts, thereby enabling them to avoid any miscommunication/misinformation that might negatively impact their cause.
Developing The Right Attitude
Having the right attitude is an important advocacy skill that impacts one’s efficiency and success quite significantly. In order to develop this skill, people need to learn to ignore naysayers, thereby steering clear of anyone who is trying to distract them. At the same time, they need to learn to be assertive and firm about their views and opinions, without losing their calm.
Doing Persistent Follow Ups
Being persistent and doing regular follow-ups is an extremely essential advocacy skill that plays a critical role in deriving the desired results. In order to develop this skill, it is important for individuals to firmly believe in the righteousness of their cause, thereby yielding confidence that enables them to overcome challenges during their problem-solving process.
The world of advocacy is replete with learnings that come your way as you progress. The more one learns, the more he/she develops as an individual as well as a professional – something that’s greatly desired in the aforementioned field.
