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If an Advocate Launches in the Forest, and No One Hears….
Consider Bertha. Bertha has been knitting since learning how at age 12. She’s a wonderful knitter! She has been knitting for decades – scarves, sweaters, hats, gloves and mittens, socks, you name it – then giving her creations away to friends, relatives, even grandbabies of friends. Everyone who knows Bertha recognizes her superb knitting skills. Because of her extensive experience, she considers herself to be a professional. Her passion is knitting! So last year, Bertha decided to open a business as a knitting teacher. After all, as much as she knows about knitting, she knows she’ll be a great teacher! After doing some research, Bertha joined an online organization that supports knitting teachers. She has found a ton of information there, and loves to connect with other knitting teachers in the discussion forum. Most importantly, she made sure she was listed in the Knitting Teacher Directory – then sat back and waited for her phone to ring. And waited. And waited. And waited. But – Bertha’s phone rarely rang. Now she’s upset. Why don’t more people call her to teach them to knit? Only one person has inquired, and that was a friend’s daughter, who she decided to teach for free. Bertha hasn’t made a dime. Now, months later, (tap, tap, tap – the sound of Bertha’s foot, as she waits by her phone to ring…) it’s time for Bertha to decide whether being a knitting teacher is going to be her future. As it turns out, Bertha’s experience in establishing a professional knitting education practice is very parallel to the experience of many new advocates. Knitting, like advocacy, is a skill. Both can be learned in many different ways, through many sorts of experiences, from formal education to personal experience, even reading a book or watching videos online. Like learning to knit themselves, many people think they know how to advocate for themselves. Even if they make mistakes, they think they are doing it right. They may not be professional, but they can try. They need to be encouraged to reach out to a professional. If you want to…