AdvocatED

Developing self-advocacy and peer advocacy skills for success in tertiary education

Empowering student voices

AdvocatED is a neuroaffirming program designed to empower Autistic and neurodivergent tertiary students to develop self-advocacy and peer advocacy skills that support success throughout their educational journey.

Through practical learning, reflection, and collaboration, students develop the confidence to understand and communicate their strengths, needs, goals, and preferences, while learning strategies to advocate effectively without compromising their wellbeing. The program also fosters respectful relationships with peers, educators, and support workers, encouraging students to advocate not only for themselves but alongside and in support of one another.

By strengthening confidence, connection, and belonging, AdvocatED is design to support student engagement, wellbeing, satisfaction, retention, and educational success while fostering a more connected, inclusive, and supporting learning community.

“At its heart, AdvocatED recognises that advocacy is about more than speaking up. It is about understanding yourself, building confidence, developing meaningful connections, and having the knowledge and skills to navigate tertiary education in ways that are authentic, neuroaffirming and sustainable.

When students genuinely belong, they are more likely to engage, persist, and succeed. AdvocatED supports in creating conditions where Autistic and neurodivergent students don’t simply participate in tertiary education but have the opportunity to genuinely belong and thrive.”

– Dr. Aida Hurem (Manager, Corporate and Community Education)

Key details and what to expect

What we cover

AdvocatED is delivered across two programs of weekly modules.

The core program guides students through self-advocacy in tertiary education spaces over six modules. A second supplimentary program expands these discussion to cover peer-advocacy, delivered over two modules.

Students who complete both programs will be awarded a certificate of completition, denoting them as a certified peer mentor, and providing them the opportunity to volunteer and support with our Autistic community.

Modules in AdvocatED are developed through a combination of lived-experience and evidence-based research.

AdvocatED also proudly features content provided by Autistic led organisations Reframing Autism and the Autistic Self Advocacy Network Australia and New Zealand (ASAN AUNZ).

About our facilitators

AdvocatED facilitators draw on both neurodivergent lived-experience and neuro-inclusive training to deliver modules in a way that is empathetic, approachable and Autism-affirming.

The program is lead by Dr. Aida Hurem, an Autistic academic who specialises in Autism inclusion.

For your organisation

AdvocatED partners with tertiary education providers to create inclusive and neuroaffirming learning environments where Autistic and neurodivergent students can genuinely belong, engage, and thrive. By strengthening both student self-advocacy and peer advocacy, the program is designed to support improved student confidence, wellbeing, engagement, satisfaction, retention, and educational success.

AdvocatED also builds the capability of educators and student support staff to respond to Autistic and neurodivergent students with confidence, consistency, and understanding. Through a shared understanding of neuroaffirming practice and self-advocacy, institutions can foster stronger relationships, clearer communication, reduced conflict and greater trust across their learning community, creating an environment where all students have the opportunity to success and thrive.